Is it empathy, body language, both or neither?

[antiquitas]

Sometimes I wonder if it's all in my head. I often think I know exactly how someone is feeling (with or without knowing them) especially in regards to myself.

Most of this I'm sure is just instinctual interpretation from body language. This, of course, is not something everyone can do. There are plenty of people who can't interpret the simplest of social signals (like disinterest in a conversation). There are also plenty of people that don't realise how much they are saying with their body and eyes (like, thinking, "Oh, I'm sorry you're so annoyed by my presence here, but I need to talk to you anyway for whatever reason" and trying like hell not to say it out loud).

Then there are situations where body language has nothing to do with knowing how or what someone is feeling. Sometimes, I've come to believe, that 'vibes' can even be felt for someone you've never met just by talking to someone else about them, or to someone you know via the internet.

My boyfriend assures me I just overreact sometimes, but I will swear by the times where I could sense annoyance/hatred/etc from several ex-coworkers (also female, which can be rough) who I really didn't get along with for no real reason.

This applies to more than just negative emotions of course, but those are the strongest. I've felt the opposite from people too, but like everything else I am never sure if it's just something I concoct in my mind.

[Æon Flux]

Empathy... in a more mundane sense as being the ability to "feel" what other are feeling, to put ones self in another persons position is something I have been very good at, much to my detriment.
I do, at times, have an instinctual ability to read body language, tone of voice, eye movements and similar things.
To some it might seem supernatural, but I'm under the conclusion that it's very natural. It's just that people don't even know we use our bodies that much for communication.

[antiquitas]

I would agree with that it's entirely natural. (I've never seen anything to convince me otherwise).

I find it striking though that so many people have no clue what they are saying without any intentions to do so. I mean I know that sending such signals is subconscious and instinctual, just as much as reading them can be, but geez!

[Sharizzy]

I'm empathic to the point that I feel the emotions of those in close physical proximity to myself. It's inconvenient most of the time, as it really affects my mood. But there are times it comes in handy; like being able to sense whether I'm saying the right thing to comfort a friend. Most of the time, though, it just makes me feel/seem bipolar, haha.

[Moonsie]

Actually I feel that alot of the people diagnosed with "bipolar" are empaths. People that have the ability to pick up extra things from around them. Their mood changes so fast because they are picking up on others moods or just because they have gotten so much so fast that it is hard to deal with at times. I also believe everyone is empathic to a point. It is a skill you can learn and for some people it is natural. Then there are the people that are naturally very strong empaths. I didnt know for years what my issue was. There were times i felt crazy. I can pick up emotions so strongly that not only do I know how a person feels but why. LOL it is useful in comforting friends. It is a wonderful gift from the Goddess and quite the blessing, though at times it feels like a curse.
I hate the holidays because everyone around me is in uberhigh spirits or uber low ones...to an empath its like being screamed at 24/7 and pretty stressful.

Once you know about your empathy though, things calm down. You learn control, and you learn how to ground and let loose of all the extra feelings inside you, so you dont burst into a million little pieces.

Hope this was kinda helpful, I dont talk about it much.

[Tobias]

There are plenty of people who can't interpret the simplest of social signals (like disinterest in a conversation).


People who can't interpret social signals also have a difficult time sending out the appropriate signal to go along with what they feel. They may act really angry or annoyed when they talk to you, but really not care one way or the other. If you can find someone like this, I think it would be a great place to see if you are magically sensing their feelings, or simply reading body language.

The other good place to test it is with people who are fake. These are the ones who try to pretend to be sweet and kind, but are disgusted with you on the inside. Or people who act all happy and bubbly, but are hiding a deep and serious pain. They are probably easier to see through than the first group, but there's more of them so they are a lot easier to come by!

[antiquitas]

The other good place to test it is with people who are fake. These are the ones who try to pretend to be sweet and kind, but are disgusted with you on the inside. Or people who act all happy and bubbly, but are hiding a deep and serious pain. They are probably easier to see through than the first group, but there's more of them so they are a lot easier to come by!

I've always sworn that it's impossible to be fake around me. But what makes me second guess is the fact that I've sensed so many fakes. It's made me keep my distance from many people.
I'd agree they are the easiest 'test units'....haha.


The pinned post here is helpful. And I can totally see absorbing emotions as leading to bipolar-type symptoms. I never get it that bad, I just get tired.

[~Runa~]

When you feel people's emotions it's difficult to communicate to them without them misunderstanding you. This happens a lot when a person seems to be faking it. Also when a person feels negative or hostile as well, trying to hide it of course. So when I mention how they feel, they go on the defensive. This is an example of their snappy reaction to me finding out they were feeling bad:

Me: Are you okay?
Them: Yes I'm alright! (saying it rather sour)
Me: What's the matter then?
Them: Huh? Stop asking me stupid questions!!!
Me: You don't seem ok.
Them: Shut up!

Oh and I get really overcome at times when picking up people's moods. It tends to have an effect on those who feel this empathy. We want to be happy but after coming away from a group of quiet people, we sense their feelings, it makes us feel really down until we realise it's nothing.

[mouseytalons]

Sometimes I wonder if it's all in my head. I often think I know exactly how someone is feeling (with or without knowing them) especially in regards to myself.

Most of this I'm sure is just instinctual interpretation from body language. This, of course, is not something everyone can do. There are plenty of people who can't interpret the simplest of social signals (like disinterest in a conversation). There are also plenty of people that don't realise how much they are saying with their body and eyes (like, thinking, "Oh, I'm sorry you're so annoyed by my presence here, but I need to talk to you anyway for whatever reason" and trying like hell not to say it out loud).

Then there are situations where body language has nothing to do with knowing how or what someone is feeling. Sometimes, I've come to believe, that 'vibes' can even be felt for someone you've never met just by talking to someone else about them, or to someone you know via the internet.

My boyfriend assures me I just overreact sometimes, but I will swear by the times where I could sense annoyance/hatred/etc from several ex-coworkers (also female, which can be rough) who I really didn't get along with for no real reason.

This applies to more than just negative emotions of course, but those are the strongest. I've felt the opposite from people too, but like everything else I am never sure if it's just something I concoct in my mind.

I "pick up" on others quite easily as well. I had a couple of interresting experiences in the past year that I just couldn't deny, though I tried extraordinarilly hard to.
1) In a bar ladies room, I picked up on a lady who was, by all physical appearances ok, but without my asking, she told me she was on her way to a funeral early the next morning. I talked with her, tried to console her, gave her a hug, and wished her Blessings on her Bike trip the next morning. She thanked me. I saw her at the same bar a couple months later, and asked how her trip went. She told me it was exhilerating and freeing. She again thanked me for the comfort earlier. She was real with me, after admitting that she was hurting.
2) I had a friend bring an unannounced "stray" guest into my home. By all physical appearances, she "seemed" nice enough at first, but my instincts said watch out for her. I stayed on gaurd all night long. As the night wore on, She punched my boyfriend for no reason twice, leaving bruises on him. I had all I could do to hold myself back from getting up and giving the punches back to her. I had the "feeling" that if I did, She would have had both my boyfriend and I in jail that night for assault. In this case: I did tell my boyfriend (when she was gone, before she attacked him) "She's a wolf in sheeps clothing." I was right.
Trust your senses and instincts, they are usually right.:thumbsup: