An expert has revealed 10 signs you may be a highly sensitive person - from needing regular alone time to experiencing an intense reaction to criticism. Dr Lalitaa Suglani is a Birmingham-based clinical psychologist and the author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving.
![[Signs of being a HSP include experiencing heightened emotional responses and feeling overwhelmed by violent or negative media among others (stock image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/07/10/93818363-14258205-image-m-5_1736245505511.jpg)
She is also a content creator, often sharing posts about mental health topics on Instagram, where she has some 164,000 followers. A recent post Dr Suglani shared online was titled Signs of a highly sensitive person (HSP). In it, she listed the 10 signs, over video footage of herself drinking a cup of tea.
![[Dr Julie Smith, a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Hampshire, has also shared information on the signs that you may be a HSP]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/07/10/72297657-14258205-Dr_Julie_Smith_a_clinical_psychologist_with_a_private_practice_i-a-6_1736246284468.jpg)
Being a highly sensitive person is not a clinical diagnosis, but rather considered a personality trait. According to the American Psychological Association: 'The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) scale is a measure of sensory-processing sensitivity, which is conceptualised as involving both high levels of sensitivity to subtle stimuli and being easily overaroused by external stimuli.'.
Dr Lalitaa Suglani (pictured) is a chartered psychologist based in Birmingham and the author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving. The term was coined by psychologist Elaine Aron in the mid-90s, and she has been researching the topic for decades.
According to the psychologist, HSP are a subset of the population, with some estimates saying that they make up around 15-20 per cent. Those who are highly sensitive are high in a personality trait called sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), Aron says.