Dear Sensitive Reader,
Did you know that 50% of Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) are also High Sensation Seekers (HSS)?
According to a 2023 study by Drs Bianca P. Acevedo, Elaine and Arthur Aron, and Tracy Cooper, there’s a 50-50 chance that a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is also a High Sensation Seeker.
And because these two personality traits conflict in their characteristics, an HSP who also identifies as an HSS (the High Sensation Seeking HSP) tends to have a difficult time finding balance in life.
They also tend to struggle with identity more than other HSPs or Sensation Seekers, trying to figure out which of these two traits is their authentic self.
Understanding the High Sensation Seeking HSP
If you’re unfamiliar with this combination of personality traits, you might wonder what it means to be a high sensation-seeking HSP.
Being a High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person (HSS/HSP) means you live with two powerful, sometimes conflicting, traits.
You crave novelty, variety, and rich experiences yet you also process emotions and sensory input more deeply than most.
Breaking Down the Two Traits
As a High Sensation Seeker (HSS), you enjoy new things, even leaps of novelty like trying a new cuisine or taking a trip. But it doesn’t have to be high-risk, it only needs to be different.
For HSPs, it’s about easing boredom and boosting stimulation safely.
As a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), you perceive subtleties, feel emotions deeply, and can get overwhelmed by noise, crowds, or strong emotions.
This trait, also known as sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), was coined by Dr. Elaine Aron and applies to about 20–30% of people.
What it Means to Be Both (HSS/HSP)
About half of Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) are also high sensation seekers, meaning this combo isn’t rare.
It’s like driving with one foot on the gas (seeking novelty) and one on the brake (seeking calm). You want adventure, but you also need recovery time.
You may feel torn because you’re eager for stimulation, yet quick to feel overloaded. And it might take longer to balance your energy.
But this mix of being a high sensation-seeking HSP offers a creative spark, empathy, curiosity, and thoughtful exploration
Why Understanding the HSS/HSP Combo is Important
Understanding you’re HSS/HSP helps you accept both sides of you.
It helps you stop trying to choose one trait over the other, and instead, craft a life rhythm that honours both: safe adventures and essential downtime.
As Dr. Tracy Cooper explains in Thrill: The High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person, acknowledging and nurturing both traits can lead to self-discovery, purpose, and deeper well-being
How to Find Balance in Life as a High Sensation Seeking HSP
In a world filled with qualified professionals studying the intersection between high sensitivity and sensation seeking, help is now readily available to any HSS/HSP wanting to find balance in life with these two traits.
For instance, Dr. Tracy Cooper – the renowned author, professor, mentor, and International Consultant on High Sensitivity (ICHS), has written a book to help High Sensation Seeking HSPs understand the two and learn to thrive.
He also teaches live online workshops on the subject, with the next class scheduled for November 1, 2025.
And now, in a new move to accommodate more HSS-HSPs, Dr. Cooper has launched a 7-week professional course dedicated to helping the 50% of HSPs who are also high in sensation-seeking.
New Course to Help High Sensation Seeking HSPs
Created in collaboration with The Highly Sensitive Human Academy and based on Dr. Tracy Cooper’s book, this online training program starts on September 1, 2025.
It is designed to share science-backed insights and practical tools to help professionals and fellow HSS-HSPs navigate the unique tension between both traits.
So, if you or someone you know is a high sensation seeking HSP, visit the academy website to learn more about the new online course and determine if it’s the right tool to help you find balance.
You will find it under the Courses and Training menu item, with the title “Professional High Sensation-Seeking HSP Training”. (see the image below)
Common HSS/HSP Struggles the Course Addresses
If you’re wondering how the new online course by Dr. Tracy Cooper will help you find balance in life, below are the high sensation seeking HSP struggles it tackles.
- Confusion About Identity: Struggling to understand and integrate these two strong genetic traits, leading to uncertainty about one’s true self
- Understimulation: Experiencing boredom, anxiety, or depression when life lacks enough stimulation.
- Overstimulation: Feeling burned out or overwhelmed when exposed to too much stimulation.
- Career Challenges: Difficulty in choosing a suitable career path and maintaining long-term job satisfaction.
- Relationship Struggles: Finding it hard to select the right partner and maintain healthy, lasting relationships.
- Cultural Mismatch: Facing challenges fitting into a culture that may not support or align with these traits.
- Self-Care Difficulties: Struggling to prioritize and maintain effective self-care routines
Practical Tools to Take With You After the HSS/HSP Course
To help you find balance in life as an HSS-HSP beyond the 7 weeks of live online sessions, hands-on exercises with Dr. Cooper, learning materials, and discussion forums, the following is what you’ll take away.
- Workbooks and Reflection Journals – Downloadable workbooks and guided reflection journals to help you process course material, track your growth, and apply insights to your daily lives.
- Printable Checklists and Quick-Start Guides – Checklists and quick-start guides summarizing key strategies for thriving as an HSS/HSP, making it easy for you to implement what you learn.
- Expert Interview Series – A series of recorded interviews with other experts in high sensitivity and sensation seeking, providing diverse perspectives and practical advice.
- Resource Library – A digital library of additional readings, research articles, podcasts, and recommended tools related to HSS/HSP topics.
- Dr. Cooper’s Annual Workshop Access – Discounted access to the annual High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person’s Workshop. Course participants enjoy a 50% discount.
- Self-Assessment Tools – Self-assessment tools that have been validated by peer review are included to help you better understand your unique blend of sensitivity and sensation seeking.
- Professional Development – For HSP practitioners taking this course, you’ll get on-going Professional Development Hours through the Association of Coaching.
- Certificate of Completion: certificate of completion and badge showing you’ve undergone Professional Development.
Visit the Highly Sensitive Human Academy to learn more about this High Sensation Seeking HSP training and to explore additional courses.
Final Word on Finding Balance as a High Sensation Seeking HSP
Living as a High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person means constantly navigating a world of inner contradictions. You’re drawn to excitement, creativity, and change, but you also need rest, reflection, and emotional safety.
This post has explored what it means to hold both traits, how they show up in daily life, and why understanding this unique combination is the first step toward balance.
We’ve broken down the core traits of HSS and HSP, looked at what it feels like to embody both, and discussed the importance of honouring your need for stimulation without pushing yourself into overwhelm.
You’ve also seen how balance isn’t about choosing one part over the other, it’s about learning to listen to both and creating a lifestyle that supports your full self.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re too sensitive to enjoy excitement or too driven to rest, please know you’re not alone. And the good news is, you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
Dr. Tracy Cooper, one of the leading researchers on High Sensation Seeking HSPs, has created a new online course to help people like you.
It’s packed with insights, tools, and guidance to help you better understand your traits, manage the tension between them, and create a life that feels aligned.
Whether you’re newly discovering this part of yourself or you’ve known for a while and still struggle to find peace, this course could be the next step on your journey.
👉 [Learn more about the course here.]
***
with love and kindness,
Article Sources and Further Reading on HSS/HSP
- Tracy Cooper, PhD – Thrill: The High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person: A foundational book exploring the unique challenges and gifts of being both HSP and HSS. https://amzn.to/3PkyZaz
- Dr. Elaine N. Aron – “Highly Sensitive High Sensation Seekers—Giving Equal Love to Both Parts”: Blog post explaining the dual trait and how to honour both sides. https://hsperson.com/highly-sensitive-high-sensation-seekers/
- Dr. Elaine N. Aron – “The Highly Sensitive Person who is also a High Sensation Seeker” (2006)
An earlier article introduces the HSS/HSP combination and its implications.
https://hsperson.com/the-highly-sensitive-person-who-is-also-a-high-sensation-seeker/ - Dr. Elaine N. Aron – High Sensation Seeking Self-Test: A free self-assessment tool to explore where you fall on the HSS scale. https://hsperson.com/test/high-sensation-seeking-test/
- Dr. Elaine N. Aron – The Highly Sensitive Person: The original book introduces the HSP trait, which provides essential background on sensitivity and its role in the HSS/HSP dynamic. https://amzn.to/40IlRiq
