questions about empathic nature.

[Carri]

I'm fairly new to this whole thing so pardon me if this question seems to be repetitive, I don't quite know the lingo of this spiritual stuff yet.

I've been doing some research and learning about empathic nature (I always thought this was Deanna Troy/Star Trek stuff), and grounding and sheilding. I would like to ask anyone who would be kind enough to share a couple of questions. I would like to know what your feelings are like. I would like to know how you knew you were empathic, and What a typical experience is like. And If I may be so bold I would like to tell what I've run across in my reasearch and ask your opinions of it. Please be gentle with me I'm new.

In my reasearch I've run across empathic people picking up a group emotion in a crowd. I've read of empathic people being more sensitive to negativity than others would be. I read that these experiences can cause exhaustion, sore throat, panic, or noticing that one is worried but about something that is not their concern. I have read that some people, when having these experiences may invent a reason that could be causing these feelings. I would also like to hear any experiences are significat or sepcial to you and any that you may have passed over as coincidence if you didn't know better.

Now If these things are true, could an empathic nature cause or make worse existing conditions such as asthma, migraines, allergies, and others? And I would like to hear what you all might think about empathic nature being paired with attention deficit disorder.

Thanks for the imput.
NFC

[mtpathy]

imo the trick isnt to push away from the vibration thats being sent to you but to accept them as a means of recognizing your own inward insecurities, this way your always traveling the path of self realisation.

[Carri]

Trying to get a grip on this concept, In your opinion, if a person is sensitive to negativity and is with someone who is negative, are they just simply reflecting their insecutities or short comings of each other?

As I said I'm pretty new and struggling to really, truly and thoroughly understand these concepts that are so new to me. Feel free to bang your head against the wall in disgust as I have probably totally miised the boat on this one.

[Cassie]

[QUOTE=NFC;3547269 I would like to know what your feelings are like. I would like to know how you knew you were empathic, and What a typical experience is like...

(snip)

Now If these things are true, could an empathic nature cause or make worse existing conditions such as asthma, migraines, allergies, and others? And I would like to hear what you all might think about empathic nature being paired with attention deficit disorder.

Thanks for the imput.
NFC[/QUOTE]
A typical empathic experience for me is feeling the emotions of others as if they are my own. It is a much stronger and more intense experience than just being aware of, or sensitive to, other people's feelings. It tends to happen more with people I know well and have some connection with but it can happen with just about anyone.

It is an ability (sometimes more like a curse) that I have always had. Of course an my early life I assumed everyone had this ability and I was more and more surprized to discover that not everyone could feel these things. It is only in the last ten years or so that I have come accross other people with similar abilities and have been able to give a name to it. I have also learn't to control it a bit better.

I think it might make some existing conditions worse just because of the stress and strain it can cause.
Your post made me think of something interesting though. I used to get very bad migraines but these have stopped since I accepted my 'empathy' and learned to control it (or shield myself) better. I'm not sure if these two things are connected but they might be.

[Solya]

I would like to know what your feelings are like.

Intense, confusing and overwhelming.


I would like to know how you knew you were empathic

I found out during my teenage years because I got sick very often after having been in school and the doctors didn't know what it was. I was physically speaking perfectly healthy, but the moment I was confronted with the energy of others I got sick. I read an article in a magazine about HSP (highly sensitive people) and I knew that this was what I had been dealing with for all of my life.


and What a typical experience is like.

I wrote this a while ago, but it still stands now...

What happens to me when I am overwhelmed always has pretty much the same pattern. It starts with a headache around my third eye, which spreads down to my eyes and makes them watery because of the stinging feeling behind them. Around that time I withdraw into myself and become really quiet, but when I haven't got a means of getting out of the situation I start to get slightly dizzy and feel nausea coming up.

Once I am out of the situation and in a place that makes me feel safe and comfortable, I go into hysterics and let it all out. I literally cry my eyes out, sink to the floor and cannot form coherent sentences anymore. I sometimes even have to scream or hum random sounds just to get everything out of my system. Around that time it feels like my solar plexus is burning up and my heart chakra literally aches with other people's hurt.

The hysteria is something I only vaguely recall once I have recovered after a day or two after the outburst. I then no longer have a strong recollection of the sounds I have made or what kind of pain it was I was feeling... it's like it happened in a dream or to a different person. It is not always this bad, thankfully, and the hysteria only occurs after a particularly busy and stressful day.

My perceptions of other people's pain usually come to me in colours. When I am in good health and feel comfortable, my colours are blue and purple and silver/white. Sometimes, I have yellow/gold or pink accompanying me. The moment when I know I pick up on somebody else's energy is when my own energy gets replaced by less brighter colours or by different colours altogether. When I finally start to get sick and hysterical, my own colours are almost completely gone and colours like red and dark green and brown have taken over.


Now If these things are true, could an empathic nature cause or make worse existing conditions such as asthma, migraines, allergies, and others? And I would like to hear what you all might think about empathic nature being paired with attention deficit disorder.

It could worsen existing conditions if one doesn't know how to shield oneself. The thing with these conditions is that they are our weak points. Foreign energy goes automatically to these weak points, because it can access our system more easily through these points. My skin, for instance, is very sensitive. The moment I am under external stress or dealing with a person I dislike, I get an itchy feeling and my skin turns reddish.

As for ADD... empathy can work with that. According to the DSM-IV criteria, which are used in psychology and psychiatry, it is a part of the ADHD-spectrum. There are two forms of it as such. One is ADD in the non-hyperactive/inattentive sense. The other is ADD with hyperactivity. Both types seem to have a very sensitive nature to external stimuli and so I believe that people who've been diagnosed with ADD can definitely experience empathy.

[WarriorZhanna]

Intense, confusing and overwhelming.

I found out during my teenage years because I got sick very often after having been in school and the doctors didn't know what it was. I was physically speaking perfectly healthy, but the moment I was confronted with the energy of others I got sick. I read an article in a magazine about HSP (highly sensitive people) and I knew that this was what I had been dealing with for all of my life.

That is exactly how it was for me. :(

Also, I agree above with what Cassie said about it being like a curse sometimes because it does make me feel rather lonely. I used to believe, too, that people were like me but as I grew up I discovered more and more that not many were like this. Some just don't even feel or do anything when you are crying next to them.

And yes.. it's overwhelming. Very overwhelming.. I still have to learn how to cope with it. I have asthma and I used to get ill often too.. strangely, my health was actually fine.. it's just that my emotional body was out of balance. I'm doing a bit better now. I don't get ill so easily anymore. But it's still overwhelming especially when noone understands you. :(

I am glad to see empaths here, on MW. But I wish I knew some in person too. At the moment.. I haven't come across anyone yet who is actually empathic, at least not where I am right now.

[Lunacie]

Hello NFC :wave: welcome to the Psychics and Sensitives forum!

There have been some excellent points made about how unexplained negative feelings can cause stress which can certainly affect our health adversely.

I have both ADHD and SID (sensory integration disorder) and this makes it even harder for me to sort out my own authentic reactions to events from what I may be picking up from other people. Anything that makes us more sensitive could result in our being more open to picking up what others are feeling.

These things were completely unknown to me a few years ago, so at times I tended to blame my empathy and what I was picking up from others for the way I was feeling, when sometimes it was simply a case of my being on sensory overload.

I was not taught good boundaries as a child (it was all "do this", "don't do that" - not much being taught to think for myself) and that also makes it hard for me to distinguish between my own feelings and the feelings I pick up from others.

[Blue Heartd Kitty]

It has only been in the last few years that I finally learned how to distinguish between what emotions I was empathically picking up or what originated within me. The first lesson to learn as an empath is how to ground and shield yourself. After that, what to do about the information/emotions you are picking up on. Somewhere in there you can figure out what is external and what is internal. I've done a lot of research on this so I could better understand what was really going on with myself.

Please feel free to ask specifics, I'm very gentle with newbies.

BHK

[Drouach]

For me...this is still a journey of self discovery and understanding.

In regards to coming to understand that I am empathic. It started with being unusual/gifted at things growing up. I am very right brained, so that in itself makes people unusual.

I used to use my abilities to avoid and fight bullies. I also found I had an almost complete aversion to violence and hurting other people. I couldn't bring myself to do it, as the guilt and emotions from them was too much. I found it difficult playing football as that required me to be switched off emotionally, or rather channeling one: Aggression.

Growing up I didn't think too much of this. As a man I kinda thought I was a born wuss, and yet I would always challenge violent people who were being bullies.

When I lived in a share house with other people, is when I began to notice that 'other people' were not like me. This was as a young adult and we had parties, and many new people entered in and out of our lives. It used to be a Joke in the house, that 'D' was always right. The trouble is my advice about things was always rejected, then later accepted when the truth came out about people.

In my late 20s I began a search on the internet about what I was experiencing. I came across an article and a web forum that described it. spent some time there slowly accepting that this was indeed my reality.

Since then, I have realise that my gifts include precognition and telepathy(involuntary at times). But this knowledge I receive is usually through 'feeling', and 'visualisation' or visions.

As much as I have embraced that side of me, I've come to realise that it is intuition, which is not set in stone.

When I experience another person';s emotions, it is like it's coming from me, so it's confusing. What I have learnt is that I must stop and ask: Is this emotion coming from me? Why am I feeling this? If it's not from me, where is it from?

[Drouach]

What makes you think you are different or gifted? When you realise that the other people around you are not receiving the same information. In fact the majority of people around are not getting this information.

You realise you are gifted, when that information is always correct.

The show 'Medium' is good at displaying how 'psyhic info' is not linear, and may seem odd at the time..but the truth of it is revealed in time.

[Darkest Eve]

Now If these things are true, could an empathic nature cause or make worse existing conditions such as asthma, migraines, allergies, and others? And I would like to hear what you all might think about empathic nature being paired with attention deficit disorder.

Thanks for the imput.
NFC

I didn't read the whole thread... so I'm very likely repeating or reiterating what others have already said... but I'm going to put in my .02 anyway.

Yes, it definitely can excaberate these problems. I have personal experience with the migraines portion of it... and I've noticed over the years that when I have a migraine, my shielding tends to fail... which just makes things get worse.

ADD and ADHD make protecting yourself a little harder - but not impossible. It depends on the severity of the condition as well as the type of empath that you are. (If you look in the empathic bunker, it's founder Aldrick had listed an "Empathy Scale"... we used to have it linked, but I don't have it at hand.) The higher level of empathy you experience, the more affected you will be... and the more difficulty ADD/ADHD may cause in getting a handle on things.

[Darkest Eve]

Actually, here you go. :) SA posted this long ago. :lol:

http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=153456

Levels of empathy

[Lunacie]

For me...this is still a journey of self discovery and understanding.

In regards to coming to understand that I am empathic. It started with being unusual/gifted at things growing up. I am very right brained, so that in itself makes people unusual.

I used to use my abilities to avoid and fight bullies. I also found I had an almost complete aversion to violence and hurting other people. I couldn't bring myself to do it, as the guilt and emotions from them was too much. I found it difficult playing football as that required me to be switched off emotionally, or rather channeling one: Aggression.

Growing up I didn't think too much of this. As a man I kinda thought I was a born wuss, and yet I would always challenge violent people who were being bullies.

When I lived in a share house with other people, is when I began to notice that 'other people' were not like me. This was as a young adult and we had parties, and many new people entered in and out of our lives. It used to be a Joke in the house, that 'D' was always right. The trouble is my advice about things was always rejected, then later accepted when the truth came out about people.

In my late 20s I began a search on the internet about what I was experiencing. I came across an article and a web forum that described it. spent some time there slowly accepting that this was indeed my reality.

Since then, I have realise that my gifts include precognition and telepathy(involuntary at times). But this knowledge I receive is usually through 'feeling', and 'visualisation' or visions.

As much as I have embraced that side of me, I've come to realise that it is intuition, which is not set in stone.

When I experience another person';s emotions, it is like it's coming from me, so it's confusing. What I have learnt is that I must stop and ask: Is this emotion coming from me? Why am I feeling this? If it's not from me, where is it from?

What do you mean by the bit I have bolded? Are you saying that Empathy is rather like the information we get when we're doing a tarot reading or any kind of divination, we are simply seeing the most likely outcome if things continue as they are going now?

I noticed my granddaughter seemed to be picking up things and changing her mood without any stimulus we could chart, this was last year when she was only 9. I had a talk with her one day about learning to check herself every so often to see what she is feeling and if there is a reason for her to be feeling it. It's probably past time for us to talk about that some more. I sure wish someone had been able to talk to me about it when I was her age instead of not having a clue about Empathic feelings until I was 40. :awwman:

[Lunacie]

What makes you think you are different or gifted? When you realise that the other people around you are not receiving the same information. In fact the majority of people around are not getting this information.

You realise you are gifted, when that information is always correct.

The show 'Medium' is good at displaying how 'psyhic info' is not linear, and may seem odd at the time..but the truth of it is revealed in time.

Yeah, and I like the way they bring out the point that it can't be turned on whenever you need it. It comes when it comes.

[Drouach]

What do you mean by the bit I have bolded? Are you saying that Empathy is rather like the information we get when we're doing a tarot reading or any kind of divination, we are simply seeing the most likely outcome if things continue as they are going now?

I noticed my granddaughter seemed to be picking up things and changing her mood without any stimulus we could chart, this was last year when she was only 9. I had a talk with her one day about learning to check herself every so often to see what she is feeling and if there is a reason for her to be feeling it. It's probably past time for us to talk about that some more. I sure wish someone had been able to talk to me about it when I was her age instead of not having a clue about Empathic feelings until I was 40. :awwman:

Yes. It's like when someone says: Explain what is anger? Explain what is fear. We can say all kinds of things but - really we only know, by experiencing it.

So, when we try to verbalise feelings and thoughts we get, it's not always as accurate as would would like. (Like Medium).

**

Wow, yeah I wish someone had guided me on what my feelings were. Heck, the thought of a child being given the space to be 'in touch' with her feelings, sends a chill down my spine, because I realise I never was. In fact my childhood was emotionally abusive.

[Solya]

Mmm, Lunacie, it's wonderful that you talk with your granddaughter about the things she is experiencing. I know that most of us older empaths have missed that kind of guidance during our childhoods. It is something I try to give to the children of others at work, too, because I realise most of them are not allowed to be who they are when it comes to their abilities.

In regards to media explaining empathy... have any of you ever read the books about Cree Black by Daniel Hecht? I found them at a bookmarket over here and was so surprised when the description of the main character's empathy and the way she handled it matched my own. It was very enlightening for me, so keep a look out for them if you haven't read them yet! :smile:

[Lunacie]

Yes. It's like when someone says: Explain what is anger? Explain what is fear. We can say all kinds of things but - really we only know, by experiencing it.

So, when we try to verbalise feelings and thoughts we get, it's not always as accurate as would would like. (Like Medium).

**

Wow, yeah I wish someone had guided me on what my feelings were. Heck, the thought of a child being given the space to be 'in touch' with her feelings, sends a chill down my spine, because I realise I never was. In fact my childhood was emotionally abusive.

I think I see what you're saying, but I'm playing catch-up on the supplements for my ADHD. When I run out for more a couple of days I can tell the difference for sure. Just bought a new bottle of fish oil capsules today.

My childhood was somewhat emotionally abusive, but mostly just very controlling. Not being allowed to experience my authentic emotions, not being allowed to make any decisions for myself, being made to feel stupid and over-sensitive, constant criticism and very few compliments or encouragement. Gah.

There was much I did differently, and I hope better, in raising my own daughter, and some that I have done even differently and hopefully even better in helping to raise my grands. The oldest is ADHD and Empathic like I am, the youngest is Autistic. But I'm still making mistakes, and hopefully learning from them.

[Carri]

Okay, you all have posted great and thought provoking informaton here so now I have to ask the chicken and the egg question. Do you think the empathic nature could be the cause of the ADD or ADHD? Pick up others issues so you can't focus or feel antsy? Or could the inability to focus on something/one thing cause a person to be more open to the "vibes" out there for the sensing?

I've have ADD and I loose focus on conversations because I know where they are going (and I ALWAYS do know where they are going) and it takes the speaker too long to get it out. Then my mind may wonder off -usually ahead of the conversation. Its like my brain is always working on fast-forward. Now over the last 7 or 8 years I've learned to control this unless I have my feelings hurt. I can still focus during anger but not hurt or humiliation.

By the way reading that scale was great, I'm a 2 and that's good to know. Society tends to portray psychics, and anything the like for that matter, as more on the high end of that scale. If a person claims to have abilities but doesn't hit that high end then they may be seen as a fraud or wannabe. Having a scale of empathy and not just an all or nothing system is a new but welcome concept to me.

[Kailen]

A typical empathic experience for me is feeling the emotions of others as if they are my own. It is a much stronger and more intense experience than just being aware of, or sensitive to, other people's feelings. It tends to happen more with people I know well and have some connection with but it can happen with just about anyone.

It is an ability (sometimes more like a curse) that I have always had. Of course an my early life I assumed everyone had this ability and I was more and more surprized to discover that not everyone could feel these things. It is only in the last ten years or so that I have come accross other people with similar abilities and have been able to give a name to it. I have also learn't to control it a bit better.

I think it might make some existing conditions worse just because of the stress and strain it can cause.

Your post made me think of something interesting though. I used to get very bad migraines but these have stopped since I accepted my 'empathy' and learned to control it (or shield myself) better. I'm not sure if these two things are connected but they might be.

Okay, havn't read all of this thread yet, so I might be repeating someone else.

Firstly, empathy can cause a lot of stress and stress does worsen pretty much every known condition/illness/disease.

Secondly, on the subject of the headaches, I very much agree that this is linked to shielding. For myself, when I am not properly shielded around a person or people who give off a negative "vibe" I will get a headache nine times out of ten. Another time that I have headaches is when someone is trying to push through my shields to "feel" me. I tested this a few times by analysing where the "headache" was coming from and then confronting the person, asking them why they were trying to read me or telling them to stop pushing, similar things. The general response was asking how I knew.

[Lunacie]

Okay, you all have posted great and thought provoking informaton here so now I have to ask the chicken and the egg question. Do you think the empathic nature could be the cause of the ADD or ADHD? Pick up others issues so you can't focus or feel antsy? Or could the inability to focus on something/one thing cause a person to be more open to the "vibes" out there for the sensing?

I've have ADD and I loose focus on conversations because I know where they are going (and I ALWAYS do know where they are going) and it takes the speaker too long to get it out. Then my mind may wonder off -usually ahead of the conversation. Its like my brain is always working on fast-forward. Now over the last 7 or 8 years I've learned to control this unless I have my feelings hurt. I can still focus during anger but not hurt or humiliation.

By the way reading that scale was great, I'm a 2 and that's good to know. Society tends to portray psychics, and anything the like for that matter, as more on the high end of that scale. If a person claims to have abilities but doesn't hit that high end then they may be seen as a fraud or wannabe. Having a scale of empathy and not just an all or nothing system is a new but welcome concept to me.

I really don't know what to think. It would be interesting to do some research and see how often people with neuroligical disorders also have psychic abilities. However, a great many adults who have ADHD and similar neurological differences have never been diagnosed, and there is no diagnostic criteria in place for determining psychic abilities. So how would one even begin to do that research?

[Solya]

Do you think the empathic nature could be the cause of the ADD or ADHD? Pick up others issues so you can't focus or feel antsy? Or could the inability to focus on something/one thing cause a person to be more open to the "vibes" out there for the sensing?

I've been thinking about this issue a lot, because some kids I work with have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD/autism and respond in a very highly sensitive manner to the vibes they're getting from their environment. I find that having a quiet, decluttered place for them to work in solves most of their antsiness. Furthermore, I love to get in and play with them "on their level" so my own personal issues will not be within their energetic reach. I find that their inability to focus usually occurs in higher levels and with higher rates of frequency when they are confronted with a very stimulating and stress-filled environment in which they run the risk of sensing too much at once.

It is almost like their behaviour is a defense mechanism against the things they receive from their environment. I often wonder what would change if they were better equipped to deal with these stimuli. :) Currently my boss and I are attempting to not directly start off with feeding these children medicines such as Ritalin, but instead we're going to let them work with me on their own energy system with the aid of crystals to see if there's a significant lowering of the hyperactive or unfocused behaviour most of them display.

Neurologically speaking I'm pretty okay... apart from high sensitivity/empathy and high intelligence, there are no significant disorders present... but I, too, have noticed that many people with neurological differences seem to possess some degree of psychic ability. I seem to be somewhere around the eighth level of that list when I function in full-blast form, but when I do not focus on it I seem to be more of a level five. Hardly matters anyhow, seeing as I also have days on which I barely scrape past level one... :lol: