 Hello, Psych2Goers, welcome back. Okay, so a highly sensitive person or HSP isn't just someone who's really sensitive, but rather someone with a heightened central nervous system that causes them to be more physically and emotionally responsive to certain stimuli or the things in their surroundings. HSPs are attentive, empathetic, and creative. However, just like anyone else, HSPs also have some negative traits as well. Keep in mind that this video serves as a general guidance purely for educational purposes and is not to be taken as a substitute for professional advice or assistance or as an attack on your character. But with that said, here are some of the more negative traits of highly sensitive people. Number one, HSPs are critical. Being so in tune with their thoughts and feelings makes HSPs pensive, deep thinkers, but it can also cause them to be or seem critical towards others and even towards themselves. Generally, being critical isn't something HSPs purposefully or intentionally do. Because of their constant pondering and deep processing of information, they easily form different ideas and opinions in their head, which they might choose to voice in response to someone else's different ideas or opinions. As for criticism aimed at themselves, through all the time HSPs spend reflecting and replaying memories in their heads, it can be very easy for them to criticize themselves for mistakes they've made or past actions they now regret. Doing so can involve negative self-talk and berating thoughts like, I should have done this instead, or how stupid of me to do that. Number two, HSPs can be moody. One of the most noticeable qualities that HSPs have is their ability to feel emotions on a deeper level than most, while a non-HSP might not get too giddy over seeing a butterfly. An HSP might find themselves in awe because its color is unique or feel nostalgic because it reminds them of ones they used to see a lot during their childhood. However, on the flip side, just as HSPs can feel positive emotions more easily and deeply, the same applies to negative emotions like sadness, irritability, or guilt, which they can fall victim to within seconds, despite how they were feeling moments before. Not to confuse or characterize them as being bipolar, but because of their more sensitive, large-scaled emotions. HSPs don't have the same emotional regulation as most people. Number three, HSPs are emotional sponges. HSPs are people who are very emotionally responsive to their environment and surroundings, which includes other people's emotions as well. Whether it's dealing with a boss that woke up on the wrong side of the bed or even simply being around someone in a particularly bad mood, other people's emotions can rub off on HSPs and turn their mood sour as well. This can be quite inconvenient and frustrating for HSPs because it can completely ruin a good day. This quality of being emotionally absorbent ties in with their tendency to have quick changes in mood, as other people's emotions can play a huge part in dictating an HSP's current mood. Number four, HSPs are easily overwhelmed. Another weakness HSPs face due to their sensitivity is that they're more prone to feeling overwhelmed in situations. These feelings can be caused by common everyday occurrences like loud noises, receiving a large workload, and even just being in a messy room. Small stimuli like this can set off receptors in an HSP's brain and become triggers for their stress, making them feel mentally and even physically drained. Signs of becoming overwhelmed include a loss of concentration, panic, a short temper, and headaches. Feeling overwhelmed isn't always a storm that's quick to pass for an HSP, and it can become a bigger problem when it disrupts productivity at school or work. As a result, this change in pace for an HSP can lead to feelings of inadequacy and guilt for not being able to focus or function as well as they want to and can even lead to burnout. Number five, HSPs can have difficulty setting boundaries. Setting boundaries in any relationship is a must. Whether it's our friendships or our romantic partner, boundaries allow us to draw the line between what actions we are and aren't comfortable with from other people. However, for HSPs, some may have difficulty setting and maintaining boundaries. This is because HSPs are considerate, but sometimes too much for their own good. They're wary of other people's emotions and are the type of people that wouldn't want to put others in uncomfortable situations or hurt them by speaking up about certain actions they do. As a result, they may choose to sweep these actions under the rug and avoid confronting other people's behavior in order to keep the peace. Keeping quiet about these problems can result in tension within the relationship, and HSP being taken advantage of and can lead to future arguments in the relationship if their current concerns eventually evolve into bigger problems. And number six, HSPs can be insecure over their sensitivity. We all know what it's like to be insecure. Insecurity is a common human experience that HSPs can also fall victim to, particularly over how they are as a person and over their quality of being more sensitive. In short, HSPs can struggle with insecurity for being a highly sensitive person. This might be because they've experienced humiliation or being questioned for why they are the way they are, especially if they showed signs of sensitivity when they were younger. As a result, it's common for HSPs to be negatively labeled as emotional, quiet, or introverted. Being questioned or criticized for their sensitivity can make it seem like a flaw in character, and this can manifest into an HSPs insecurity or feeling like they don't belong, which can impact their self-esteem and follow them as they grow older. So did this give you some insight into the negative traits of an HSP? Just has with all people. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses that make up who we are. For HSPs, their sensitivity and attentiveness can be viewed as almost a sixth sense, but can cause some downsides. Did you find this video valuable? Tell us in the comments below. Please like and share it with friends that might find value in this video too. Make sure to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell for more content. All the references used are added in the description box below. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you next time.