It’s almost impossible to believe that a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), who ranks high on inhibition, can also be a High Sensation Seeker (HSS).
Yet, according to HSP researcher and pioneer Dr. Elaine N. Aron, this is the reality for at least 50% of HSPs.
If you suspect you might be both an HSP and an HSS, read this post to learn more about the following:
- questions people ask about sensation seeking,
- the High Sensation Seeker test for HSPs,
- what it means to be both HSP and HSS,
- four tips by Dr. Aron on how to cope with both traits.
Questions People Ask about High Sensation-Seeking
1. What does it mean to be a High Sensation Seeker?
A High Sensation Seeker is always looking for new and exciting experiences. They get bored easily and constantly crave novelty.
This person scores high on the sensation-seeking trait, otherwise known as novelty-seeking, excitement-seeking, or thrill-seeking.
2. What is sensation-seeking a symptom of?
Sensation-seeking isn’t a symptom. It’s a personality trait describing people who like to go after new, different and exciting sensations.
Or people who will go out of their way to experience something different and intense.
3. Is Sensation Seeking Genetic?
Yes, sensation seeking is substantially genetic.
According to research published in this PMC article on NCBI, “the predominant influence on the change in sensation seeking is genetic factors.”
Here’s an exact quote from the article:
Behavioral genetic analyses of a subset of 2,562 sibling pairs indicated that there were substantial genetic influences on both initial levels of sensation seeking and change in sensation seeking during early adolescence, with over 80% of individual differences in change due to genetic factors.
4. What are the Four Components of Sensation Seeking?
The original (or traditional) concept of Sensation Seeking as identified by Marvin Zuckerman shows the trait as having 4 distinct parts.
They include the following:
- Thrill and Adventure Seeking – Describes a person’s desire to participate in risky physical and sporty activities. Such as bungee jumping, sky diving, etc.
- Experience Seeking – Describes the desire to explore and participate in new experiences through sense, travel and lifestyle. Examples include seeing new towns, trying different foods, learning a language, exploring cultures, etc.
- Disinhibition – Describes a person’s desire for impulsivity or tendencies to act without regard for long-term consequences. E.g. social drinking, partying, variety in sexual partners & experiences, etc.
- Boredom Susceptibility – Explains a person’s preference for unpredictability and non-routine activities. Such a person is easily bored and longs for spontaneous activities and friends.
5. Is there a difference between Sensation Seeking(SS) and High Sensation Seeking(HSS)?
Sensation Seeking is on a spectrum and normally measured on a scale.
People who fall on the lower side of the scale are low sensation seekers, while those who score high are high sensation seekers.
The major difference for HSPs in sensation seeking is this:
Sensation-seeking (SS) has always been linked (and sometimes interchanged) with impulsivity and risk-taking, which isn’t always true for HSPs.
For instance, when Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) who suspect they might also be HSS take the original Test by Marvin Zuckerman, they end up feeling more lost than understood.
The scale has 40 statements in the form of choices and requires you to select one option over the other. It also includes wording mostly relatable to thrill-seekers and risk-takers, without considering the need for HSPs to pause before acting.
This structure restricts test takers to the only two options available and inhibits progress as you can’t move on to the next step without choosing one.
So, to avoid this headache as an HSP, opt for the High Sensation Seeker (HSS) test by Dr. Elaine Aron.
The wording is sensitive to your trait and comes with a further explanation to help you understand what it means to be both HSP and HSS.
The High Sensation Seeker Test for HSPs
Dr. Elaine N. Aron has created 3 tests in total to help Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), Highly Sensitive Children (HSCs), and High Sensation Seekers (HSSs) put a name to their “weird” tendencies.
Please know that these tests aren’t provided to help you diagnose or exclude a diagnosis of a condition.
The HSS test has 20 statements requiring you to check if true or somewhat true and leave unchecked if not very true or not true at all.
If you score 11 or more, you’re probably a High Sensation Seeker.
What Does it Mean to Be an HSP/HSS?
The good part:
Your depth of processing as an HSP helps you to explore all the options before plunging deep into a potentially risky experience.
It also allows you to fully enjoy a new experience with an intensity that isn’t possible with a non-HSP.
On the other side, your need for novelty as an HSS allows you to go out and explore new opportunities that you would otherwise be opposed to if you were only an HSP.
The bad part:
The thrill-seeker part of you can cause unnecessary overwhelm, exhaustion, and even frustration.
This is because it’s the part of you that says yes to novel experiences and spontaneity. And it’s the part of you that wants to go out and experience things your HSP side finds overwhelming.
What it all means:
When you discover you’re an HSP/HSS, educate yourself on how to find a balance between the two traits. Learn techniques you might need, read books to further your knowledge, and find people like you for connection.
This will help you avoid being in a constant argument with yourself. Because two parts of you desire to be heard, you can’t split yourself into two, and choosing one over the other isn’t an option.
Final Thoughts and Dr. Elaine Aron’s Advice on Being an HSP/HSS
Understanding and embracing High Sensitivity (HS) is a journey many HSPs take and it often requires guidance and connection.
If you take the HSP/HSS test and discover you possess both traits, the realization can add strain to your already difficult journey.
But just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it can’t get easier or done.
With the right help and soothing tools, you can embrace both parts, eliminate conflicting thoughts, and overcome guilt.
Four tips from Dr. Elaine Aron to help you thrive as an HSP/HSS:
- Look at your HSP/HSS combo as a package deal – Both traits have benefits and challenges. If you track the two, you will find that what you don’t like about the other is the flip side of what you do like.
- Grieve what cannot be – Accept that you’re going to be limited in the experiences you can be part of as an HSS. Also, accept that you’re going to be over-aroused and overwhelmed as an HSP. And then learn to be okay with that.
- Get creative – Accepting what can and cannot be is usually the first step towards thriving. The next is to find ways to adjust your schedules and life in a way that honours both traits. For instance, consider treating your HSS side with an outing every week or month, and then taking time off to recover for the sake of your HSP side.
- Use each part to fulfil your overall needs. According to Dr. Aron, a part of you isn’t HSP or HSS. It’s just YOU with talents, values and goals. So leverage the parts that identify as HSP and HSS to feed the overall YOU. For instance, your empathy as an HSP can help you thrive in a people-centred career, and your need for novelty as an HSS can help you quickly adapt to changes in your environment.
Visit this page on Dr. Elaine Aron’s website to learn more about being an HSP/HSS.
