Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D. began researching HSP back in 1991. She is the leading authority on it and has written several books on the subject.
Her website: The Highly Sensitive Person
We at Avoidant Personality Research Center have recently become aware of the “Highly Sensitive Person”. Our founder Phillip Dacus, who suffers from Avoidant Personality (AVP), ran across this during his research on the condition. He took the HSP quiz for this and was amazed at how similar to AVP it is.
Phillip was so intrigued by the similarities that he added it to our website. He then set about sending the HSP quiz to our entire database of people that we know of that have Avoidant Personality.
As we suspected, 100% of people that have taken the quiz for HSP, also have AVP. The only difference has been to the extent that the person has HSP. It’s possible that to the degree that the person has HSP is also to the degree that one suffers from AVP. The two seem to be linked and might even be part of the same issue.
For example, people that identify as a HSP are highly sensitive to bright lights, strong smells, and other stimulations. Being over stimulated is also a huge factor for those with Avoidant Personality.
Those that identify as a HSP also find that they need to withdraw during busy days into a dark room, or in some other way need to retreat from others. They are also very shy and overly sensitive. Those with AVP suffer from severe social anxiety and must self-isolate.
One important distinction to note is that HSP is not classified as a mental health condition. It is known as a character trait.
It seems like the two could be synonymous with each other. Another possibility is that one might lead to the development of the other.
Perhaps being a Highly Sensitive Person is the doorway to developing Avoidant Personality or it makes one more susceptible to developing AVP.
More research is needed, but preliminary results are very promising.
Please help continue our research by completing the quiz for the Highly Sensitive Person below.
After taking this quiz, you will receive instant results and also an email with those same results.
You will also receive our recommendations based on your answers.