Emotional Intelligence (EQ) & Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

Introduction 

This article will be introducing two terms related to emotional health: EQ and HSP. 

EQ (Emotional Quotient / Intelligence) and HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) are terms that you may have briefly come across, but may be unsure what it means. 

Both these terms are related to emotions and are similar in the way that they influence your lives and how you communicate with others. 

EQ – Emotional Quotient 

A simplified definition of EQ, is the ability to communicate using your emotions. 

Being able to understand your emotions and using them to converse with others, allows you to express yourself more clearly. 

It helps you to relieve stress, avoid conflict and show empathy to others. It also relieves pressure in stressful situations. 

EQ builds strong relations in any career or aspect in life. 

Your Emotional Intelligence is as important as your IQ (Intelligence Quotient), as this allows you to understand your peers’ emotions and thus allows for smooth communication. 

Your IQ and EQ can balance each other out. 

EQ can be divided into four sections: 

Self-management – Controlling and managing your emotions healthily, having independence and adapting to the circumstances. 

Self-awareness – Understanding how your emotions may affect your thoughts and actions. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses and having the confidence to overcome them. 

Social awareness – Empathising with others. Understanding the emotions and needs of others and knowing what to say. Be socially comfortable and recognise where you stand in a group or company. 

Relationship management – Creating good relationships with others and maintaining it. Having excellent communication skills, leadership skills and are a team player. Able to disperse conflict. 

HSP – Highly Sensitive Person 

HSP stands for Highly Sensitive Person. 

A term used on someone, thought to be more sensitive than the average person. 

This can be through physical, emotional, or social factors. 

For example, physical = higher pain, emotional = easily emotional, and social = avoiding crowds. 

HSP is not a mental disorder, but is more of a personality trait. 

A Highly Sensitive Person usually referred by others as being too sensitive; this personality trait has both its advantages and its disadvantages. 

Characteristics of HSP 

There are quite a few characteristics that someone with HSP may have: 

• Intolerance towards violence – They tend to stay away from things related to violence, including movies and tv shows. It makes them feel uncomfortable, or overwhelmed. 

• Personal Time – People with HSP, like to have time to themselves, especially on bad days. 

• Low-maintenance and easy to please – They enjoy the trivial things that life has to offer. 

• Deep thinkers, longer to make decisions – They like to be sure that the decision they make is right, so tend to overthink things through. 

• Overwhelmed by change – They are more comfortable with the familiar. They are not against change, but their emotions can overwhelm them for a time. 

• Tend to overthink – They think things through too thoroughly. They obsess over the bad when something happens. 

• Inner world – They are often creative, keen, and self-aware. They are positive and will try their best to reach their dreams. 

• Anxiety, adapting to change – People with HSP tend to have higher anxiety and tend to pull away from new or complicated situations. 

• Small social circle – They tend to keep their connections on a small scale, but are more interactive with those in their group. They value their relationships with both family and friends.