The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You

In this initial section, Aron introduces the themes and purposes of the book. She identifies her credentials to speak on the topic of high sensitivity, stressing not only that she is a psychologist who has spent years researching the topic, but also that she herself identifies as an HSP. Aron’s use of case histories drawn from her own research solidifies her credibility and experience on the topic, as well as personalizing the topic for readers. These case histories are closely integrated into the text and serve to give an anecdotal context to the ideas Aron discusses. The book’s structure frames it as a manual for living with high sensitivity: After the preface, Aron offers a diagnostic self-test, and subsequent chapters focus on specific areas of life, addressing The Challenges and Benefits of High Sensitivity and offering advice for how HSPs can ensure that their needs are met and their unique contributions recognized. She proposes that HSPs practice a “total immersion,” in which they examine various aspects of their lives in terms of their trait. To this end, Aron includes a variety of self-tests and assessments (either in the middle or at the end of a chapter) for HSPs to do. 

In the Preface, Aron specifies the audience for the book: HSPs as well as those who have close relationships with HSPs and would like to understand their loved ones better. Further, the book aims to connect HSPs and foster understanding, solidarity, and pride in their trait. An important theme of the book (first articulated in Chapter 1) is Challenging Societal Misconceptions About High Sensitivity: The contemporary world is increasingly under nonsensitive influences, meaning that HSPs are misunderstood and marginalized; indeed, they are an “invisible” minority. Aron intends to equip HSPs to take charge and make their influence felt in all areas of human activity, because their influence is especially needed today. As she notes in Chapter 1, “HSPs do more of that which makes humans different from other animals: We imagine possibilities” (12). To build a better, more just world, one needs to be able to see what’s wrong with the world as it is and imagine how it could be otherwise. These are two areas, Aron argues, in which HSPs excel. 

This purpose of the book is closely related to Aron’s theory of the two classes of society. From ancient times, she claims, society has been balanced between “warrior kings” and “royal advisors.” She uses this broad framing of human history as a metaphor for the relationship between HSPs and non-HSPs. In recent times, she argues, the more aggressive character and values of the first group have become dominant. But for the warrior kings, and the societies they lead, to survive, they need the wisdom and guidance of the royal advisors. The book thus aims at increasing HSPs’ self-confidence so they can take their place as leaders in society. Aron hopes to clarify and defend high sensitivity as a personality trait of great benefit to humanity.

Especially in the earlier part of the book, Aron errs on the side of portraying HSPs in as positive a light as possible. This, as she explains, is to act as a counterbalance to the general neglect and negativity associated with high sensitivity. However, in the latter part of the book she brings more complexity to the portrayal, emphasizing the specific liabilities that come with the trait—especially a tendency to become overstimulated or “overaroused” and a corresponding need for quiet and rest—and how HSPs can counterbalance those qualities to optimize their lives. This advice—a thread running throughout the book—advances the theme of Personal Growth and Self-Care for HSPs. In the end, the book drives home the point that sensitivity is a personality type that confers both advantages and challenges. Aron’s comparative method aims to help readers see high sensitivity in relation to other personality types and in a variety of real-life contexts. She defines sensitivity as consisting of various components (depth of processing, overstimulation, etc.) and stresses that degrees of sensitivity exist throughout the population (including among HSPs themselves), thus avoiding the impression that sensitivity is an all-or-nothing matter.

Throughout the book, Aron makes a point to include herself in the group she labels HSPs. She uses “we” and “our” frequently and thus establishes her solidarity with HSPs. The tone of sympathy helps draw readers in and establish a positive aura around high sensitivity, as well as a sense that HSPs are all in it together. Occasionally Aron steps in with a comment directed at HSPs about what they might be feeling at that point in the narrative: “This first chapter may have been very stimulating! All sorts of strong, confusing feelings could be arising in you by now” (20). These interventions serve to convey the sympathy and compassion that are central to Aron’s style.

Aron’s specific goal in the first two chapters is to orient readers to see and identify high sensitivity. To this end, Aron debunks various misconceptions and biases about the trait, and identifies its key components in a more objective light than society typically allows. For example, Aron argues that the traits that modern Western societies typically value less (like restraint and reticence) are the very ones that are typical of HSPs; but these traits are in fact very common in the population and not at all abnormal. Also, sensitivity in boys is discouraged, yet just as many male babies as female babies exhibit sensitivity. Essentially, Aron argues that society and culture mold human beings in a way that contradicts the facts of nature.