For people who like to feel a lot, a strong feeling is the most exciting thing they can do. If you have this attitude, you like to live with energy and excitement. You are always looking for new things to do that will make you happy, surprised, stimulated, and energized, and you may do too much of them. People might say you like to take risks and are addicted to energy.
If high sensitivity is mostly under the surface, then High Sensation Seeking is like stealth. You might recognize some traits but not know what the term means. High Sensation Seeking is known to be a result of the study done by Marvin Zuckerman.
HSS can happen with or without high sensitivity, and about 30% of people with high sensitivity are also high thrill lovers. People often think that people who like to try new things are all outgoing, but that's not true for all of them, and we don't have exact numbers yet.
Morton Zuckerman, a psychologist at the University of Delaware, proposed the idea of the high-sensation-seeking (HSS) person. He found four things that all of these people had in common:
Zuckerman made the Sensation Seeking Scale to measure these kinds of things. This test is good at finding people with high sensation-seeking personalities. It can tell them apart from people who may be somewhat adventure-seeking, but not enough for it to affect most of their life decisions.
It's a normal part of being human to want to be excited. But HSS people can get into trouble if they give in to their feelings too quickly and without much thought. Research shows that unhealthy HSSs are more likely to become addicted to drugs and do things that hurt themselves.
On the other hand, well-adjusted thrill-seekers are known for their bold, brave, and creative actions. They make everyone around them feel like anything is possible, which can be excellent.
You have short bursts of energy and are always looking for something new, like a moth to a flame. It's like an engine that has its plans and doesn't move at a steady speed. You must set aside time to escape all the stress to find peace. And it could be a long time, maybe a day or two, or even a week if things are really bad.
It could be dancing, oil painting, writing a script, remixing music, or making glass. It would be making something from nothing. You get restless when you can't get your energy out, so it's normal to turn to artistic activities to eliminate that inner stress.
Since you always want to try new kinds of art, you tend to get better at many of them as long as you can overcome your fear of failing the first time you try something new. If this sounds like you, you may have noticed that sometimes your thoughts get out of hand. So, having a notebook or app to write down thoughts as they come is helpful.
What are those? Bring it. What are rock concerts? Yes, thank you. But you also like doing things yourself, like crossword puzzles or hiking. This makes people think. You look for both thrills and greater value in the things you put your heart into.
HSPs can be either quiet or talkative. But Dr. Cooper says that of HSPs who are also HSS, a huge 90% of them are introverts. This makes your already unique mix of traits even more complicated.
For example, being alone for too long without the right excitement can drain you as quickly as a house party. If you're shy, this can make you feel like you're fake but on steroids. Even if it doesn't always make sense to others, being an introverted extrovert is okay. Remember that you need time alone to recover, no matter how fun the next journey sounds.
If you're like me, you may have tried to cover it up with bad weather, a crazy job, or (in my case) PMS. But if you're HSP and HSS, you probably go through emotional highs and lows quickly.
Well, a big part of how people feel about their mood is how the surroundings make them feel. Since HSPs are more aware of their surroundings than most people, they are already very sensitive to changes and easily take on other people's feelings.
But if you also have HSS, you seek out even more new feelings and situations. This means everything in your surroundings that affects your feelings is always changing. And it's no surprise that it can cause mood swings you don't see coming.
No. High-sensation-seekers look for thrills in all parts of their lives, while adrenaline junkies only do things that give them a rush of energy. It's an uncontrollable need to feel things. People with HSS traits often:
When it comes to their careers, HSS types usually choose risky, stressful jobs or require them to act quickly and decisively. Many people who want a lot of excitement will give up regular jobs and start their businesses repeatedly. They want the excitement and risk of failing that comes with starting a business from scratch.
One big difference between low-sensation seekers and high-sensation seekers is that high-sensation seekers don't find risk, danger, or stress upsetting. When things like this happen, they feel pushed and are in their element. They feel a sense of victory or happiness when they finish their task successfully.
You don't have to take the Sensation Seeking Scale test to prove that you have good sense. If you're a high-sensation-seeker, your scores on more general personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs or the Enneagram, will probably show this.
In the 16-type system, the Artisans are the ones who want to feel the most. All of the Sensing-Perceiving (SP) types are on the list of Artisans: ESTPs, ISTPs, ESFPs, and ISFPs. Craftspeople like new things and get bored to tears with too much habit or routine.
In the Enneagram system, Type 7s are the ones who are most likely always looking for something new and different in a way that makes them feel excited and alive. These people always look for new and exciting people, places, and things to do. They will quickly get bored if they have to stay home while everyone else is having fun.
That doesn't mean all SPs or Enneagram 7s are HSS by a long shot. But look for yourself in the traits and actions we've listed here. It might be time to look more closely at the subcategories in your personality report to see if there are any clear signs of high sensation-seeking thoughts and behavior.
For instance, under the Sensing section of your TypeFinder report, you'll discover Habitual vs. Adventurous and Progressive vs. Traditional as subcategories. People say they are Sensors like the Traditional and Habitual tracks. A normal study might say that they are 70–30% more likely to be Habitual than Adventurous and Conventional than Progressive.
But if you like to try new things, you probably test as much more Adventurous and Progressive, even if your overall orientation is Sensing. High-sensation-seekers hate taking the safe route and try to avoid what has already been done.
When you look at the sections for Judging vs. Perceiving in your TypeFinder data, your high sensation-seeking traits will stand out even more. Here, your test results will determine whether you like things to be Relaxed or Orderly, Spontaneous or Scheduled, or Impulsive or Disciplined.
If you're looking for a lot of excitement, you might see numbers like 80–90% vs. 10–20% in favor of Relaxed, Spontaneous, and Impulsive points in a clear way. If you are a high-sensation-seeking person, TypeFinder will be able to tell.
When you decide to live your life based on your truest wants and ideas, your desire for new experiences will put you on a clear path. Your personality could lead you to amazing places or deep trouble if you don't temper your excitement for life and new experiences with knowledge and good judgment.
You'll have to learn more about yourself and grow from your mistakes. It would help if you also didn't ignore or avoid dealing with any emotional or mental problems that keep coming up. If you take the necessary measures to ensure you're healthy and whole, your casual, brave, and fun-loving spirit could become your most valuable and reliable asset.
