I just read this, thought some of you might be interested.

Highly sensitive person
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A highly sensitive person (HSP) is a person having the innate trait of high sensitivity (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Sensitivity_%28human%29) (or innate sensitiveness as Carl Gustav Jung (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Carl_Gustav_Jung) originally coined it). According to Elaine N. Aron (http://www.addforums.com/w/index.php?title=Elaine_N._Aron&action=edit&redlink=1) and colleagues as well as other researchers, highly sensitive people, which would represent about a fifth of the population, process sensory data much more deeply and thoroughly due to a biological difference in their nervous systems (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Nervous_system).[1] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-0) This is a specific trait with key consequences that in the past has often been confused with innate shyness (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Shyness), inhibitedness (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Social_inhibition), innate fearfulness (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Fear), introversion (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Introversion), and so on. [2] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-articles-1) The existence of the trait of innate sensitivity was demonstrated using a test that was shown to have both internal (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Internal_Validity) and external validity (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/External_validity).[3] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-ClinicalImplicationsJung-2) Although the term is primarily used to describe humans (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Human), the trait is present in nearly all higher animals (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Animal).
The term highly sensitive person was coined by Dr. Elaine N. Aron in 1996, and the name is gaining popularity because it presents the trait in a positive light, as it posits shyness, inhibitedness, fearfulness as negative traits that may or may not be acquired by highly sensitive people and animals, depending on environmental challenges. Yet other names used to describe the trait in literature include 'introverted emotional temperament', 'chronic cortical/cortisol arousal', 'hypervigilance (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Hypervigilance)', and 'innate shyness'.
Dr. Aron describes the opposite end of the spectrum, "the opposite of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is a person who takes many risks, that is acts without reflecting very much. An HSP who is an HSS (High Sensation Seeker) also will find ways to have lots of new experiences, but won't take a lot of unreflected-upon risks."[4] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-3) She also cites studies involving other animals ranging from mammals to houseflies and goldfish.[5] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-books-4)
[edit (http://www.addforums.com/w/index.php?title=Highly_sensitive_person&action=edit&section=1)] Epistemological (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Epistemological) considerations
The approach adopted by Aron and colleagues questions the role of notions such as "shyness" in explaining basic differences in behaviour that are encountered in many species, including humans. As opposed to shyness, which is constructed both as a negative trait and a genetic (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Genetics) weakness that can be worsened by circumstances, the trait of high sensitivity is considered a basic, evolutionarily (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Evolution) conserved trait (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Trait_theory) with survival advantages in itself. Zoologists (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Zoology) observed the existence of a shy-bold continuum in animal species:[6] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-5)[7] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-6)
<DIR>... in sunfish a "shy-bold continuum" has been identified, in which "bold" individuals differ from "shy" ones in their propensity to approach novel objects (including minnow traps), eat certain food items, and acclimate to laboratory environments. The "shy-bold continuum" has also been observed in humans and several other mammals.[8] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-pmid10821611-7)
</DIR>Zoologists are aware that notions of shyness and boldness are anthropomorphic (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Anthropomorphic) (as exemplified by the use of quotation marks, above; "personality (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Personality)" is another term used with quotation marks). Some animals and even insects (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Insect) were shown to get survival advantages (avoidance of dangers) and even, as a consequence, reproductive (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Reproduction) advantages (availability for "exuberant" courtships behaviours)" from being "shy".[8] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-pmid10821611-7) Faced with this apparent misnaming of a basic survival strategy, Aron and colleagues developed the notion of high sensitivity, expanding on Jung's suggestion of the trait innate sensitiveness, which he distinguished from his own notion of introversion. In support of this distinction, Aron showed that the Highly Sensitive Person Scale identified a sizable proportion of extraverted sensitive persons (30%). In addition, Aron provides evidence supporting that highly sensitive persons can also be highly sensitive to favourable social cues and respond with traits of extraversion (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Extraversion).[9] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-JungAron-8)
[edit (http://www.addforums.com/w/index.php?title=Highly_sensitive_person&action=edit&section=2)] Research
The research on sensory-processing sensitivity, however, builds on Eysenck's (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Hans_Eysenck) views on introversion and arousal and Gray's work on the inhibition system. This research in turn builds on Pavlov's (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov) work on sensory response to both physical and mental overstimulation, and work by Jung and his contemporaries differentiating extroverted and introverted cognitive senstitivity types. [9] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-JungAron-8) This research shows that about 15-20% of humans and higher animals have a nervous system that is more sensitive to subtleties. This means that regular sensory information is processed and analyzed to a greater extent, which contributes to creativity (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Creativity), intuition (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Intuition_%28knowledge%29), sensing implications and attention to detail, but which may also cause quick overstimulation and overarousal.[5] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-books-4)
This temperament may also have some correlation with continuously high cortisol (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Cortisol) levels, which may cause hypervigilance (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Hypervigilance) and susceptibility to trauma (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Psychological_trauma), or the same traumas may encourage hypervigilance, which in turn may contribute to high cortisol. Being highly sensitive may amplify or create psychological (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Psychology) issues when overarousal occurs. The ability to unconsciously (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Unconscious_mind) or semi-consciously process environmental (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Environmental_psychology) subtleties often contributes to an HSP seeming 'gifted' or possessing a 'sixth sense (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Extrasensory_perception)'. Sensitiveness is often confused with shyness, but 30% of HSPs have extroverted personalities. Another common misconception is that only females (http://www.addforums.com/wiki/Female) can be HSPs - there are roughly the same number of male HSPs as female. The percentage appears to hold true for all animals possessing this trait."[5] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-books-4)[3] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-ClinicalImplicationsJung-2)
[edit (http://www.addforums.com/w/index.php?title=Highly_sensitive_person&action=edit&section=3)] Attributes and characteristics
HSP students work differently than others. They pick up on the subtle things, learning better this way than when overaroused. If an HSP student is not contributing much to a discussion, it does not necessarily mean they do not understand or are too shy. HSPs often process things better in their heads or they may be overaroused. This can be the reason for their not contributing. HSPs are usually very conscientious but underperform when being watched. This also applies to work situations; HSPs can be great employees — good with details, thoughtful and loyal, but they do tend to work best when conditions are quiet and calm. Because HSPs perform less well when being watched, they may be overlooked for a promotion. HSPs tend to socialize less with others, often preferring to process experiences quietly by themselves. [5] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-books-4) [10] (http://www.addforums.com/%20cite_note-9)


For the rest, go to Wiki. Sorry, i don't know how to paste links.

It is actually through my suspicions of suffering from HSP myself that I eventually found the link to AD(H)D.

What I still do not understand is if these two are related. At first I even for a moment mistakenly believed they were one and the same fenomenon.

I there anyone here who can say something about that connection?

I certainly identify with "HSP" (which I had never heard of before now) it fits with various aspects of my experience of ADD (inattentive), including hypersensitivity to criticism, which is sometimes listed as a sign of ADD.
But I hear that some people with ADHD are very impulsive, which might be described as "acting without reflecting very much", which the article says above is the very opposite of HSP. So I suspect that ADD/ADHD and HSP may interact or intersect in some complex way.
For example, perhaps ADD/ADHD makes the difference between HSP and nonHSP people more extreme?

Or are all people with ADD/ADHD highly sensitive? It would be interesting to hear from people with ADD/ADHD who don't fit the description of HST above.

Quote:
shyness, inhibitedness, fearfulness
Unquote:

Those are symptoms quite familiar to me, particularly the shyness.
But as far is I can tell they have no direct relation with the other ADD symptoms, therefore may be uniquely related to HSP.
I score reasonably but not extremely high on some of the online HSP tests.

There is a relatively lively Dutch HSP scene.

Do any of you like the feeling of just shutting out the world by putting your sweatshirt hood or a blanket over your head? I do this at home sometimes. I live in a noisy area and I just feel good when I do this. It feels like I am cocooned or something.

Social Avoidance, everything I do is wrong, I look the same as I did 10 years ago, but put me in front of a mirror and I can point out 15 MAJOR flaws, and give you 30 reasons as to why I should stay in.
I don't do well at all wityh criticism, especially about my person. or other persons.
I take things way too much to heart. I will admit, ive been getting a bit better over the past couple of months....

But im certainly not ready to break from my cocoon and be a social butterfly.

I've been doing research into SID (sensory integration disorder) and something about the way this HSP is explained makes more sense to me. Either way, I definately rate high on the testing.

Love the way this article explains that our society sees highly sensitive people as being weak or timid or shy, when we could just as easily focus on how these traits make us more intuitive, creative and spiritual... http://www.hsperson.com/ (http://www.hsperson.com/)

Another good article here... http://www.sensitiveperson.com/attribts.htm (http://www.sensitiveperson.com/attribts.htm)