One of the things I've picked up reading HSP literature is that the human brain regresses when pushed past its limits. You go into fight, flight, or freeze, and from there everyone starts to look the same - like a petulant toddler. Part of self care is giving yourself permission not to torture yourself. To wear earplugs, prefer quiet restaurants, to ask the host of a party to please stop burning incense like it's Christmas Mass, or to just give yourself permission to pop in and then leave after an hour.

There's overlap between HSP and alcoholism as well. Needing to get smashed at a party in order to 'relax' is more than just decompressing after a hard workweek. Alcohol dulls the senses.