Sooo, you're an empath..

[skyler]

Ok, for weeks I've been seeing threads about empaths and such and I'm starting to wonder if I'm empathic. I do feel what others feel at times, I sometimes get angry or sad for no reason at all, sometimes I can physically feel someone elses pain (though it's very rare).. All this would make me think that maybe I have a tendency to be empathic, right?

But then again, I've read things where some ppl say they know they're empaths because they can't watch a certain sad movie without crying, or they can't watch the news when something really big and awful has happened.. well, how does THAT make you an empath? Everyone has feelings and emotions, right? You can't be completely oblivious as to what has happened if it''s something really awful, I mean, you have to have SOME feeling about it, and the movie thing.. isn't it the purpose of a movie to entertain and evoke emotions?
See what I'm getting at? I'm not trying to offend those that say they are empaths and that give, in my opinion, a valid explanation as to why they feel they are one, but to cry at a movie or feel bad about the news?

OK! enough rambling lol.. my real question is.. how do you differentiate a fairly sensitive person from an empath?

I have no intention of offending anyone, I just want to know where I stand and what I believe about empaths. So if you can help me here, please do :)

[arctic splash]

It's a rather loaded word, sometimes.

I don't think there is one right definition.

[KEishin]

My feeling is that an empath picks up on the feelings of those around them. rather than being sensitive to life in general. Your example of crying at a movie - if you were the only one watching it, then no, IMHO. But if you were watching a funny movie, yet you kept crying because someone else watching it was sad, then yes, empathy is likely.

I hear of so many people who say they are empaths, but I'm not so sure. It seems a talent like that is more rare than most people think.

If someone came to me and said "Gee, Keishin. I think I'm an empath," I'd ask them a series of questions like the following:

What mood am I feeling right now?
How do you feel in large groups of people?
Do you get exhausted by people or do they energize you?
Are you able to regulate your own emotions, or do they overwhelm you?
Do you experience random mood swings?

I am looking to see if someone is truly reacting to the moods of others as opposed to picking up things through body language and tone of voice. Sometimes a senstive person can pick that stuff up and intellectually feel what someone in that situation would feel. But I'm sure we all agree, that what someone 'should feel' and what they actaully dp feel are quite often two different things.

[MoonDragn]

Actually in my opinion I think empathy is a more common form of telepathy. People with the talent either have large amounts of one or the other or both. Even those of us who don't have much empathy still rely on those feelings when we meet new people as you can "feel" what the other person is like. I think its just to varying degrees of sensitivity.

[arctic splash]

I do think it's a stretch to call it empathic when you laugh or cry while watching a movie. That's just expressing emotion.

Empathy is relating to others. We're all capable of it. Some people might really pick up psychically on the emotions of others. Others might just be good at reading people, eyes, words, body language. Still others are good at putting themselves into a situation and imagining what it feels like. For me I think it's a combination of all of those, although sometimes when I try to read people I'm way off!

[Rian]

I don't claim to be an Empath *disclaimer to start out this reply*

I do claim to be very empathetic. I'm also a sensitive person who cries at hallmark commercials, but I don't think that discredits any of my ability to pick up on what people around me are feeling.

I don't always feel emotions of others. If I'm in a crowd I'm not overwhelmed with all sorts of conflicting emotions coming at me from all sides. But, if I come into contact with someone who is feeling something strongly themselves (whether it be on the phone or over the internet or in person) I can pick up on it pretty accurately.

The feeling I get when I feel what someone else is feeling is completely different from my own emotions (which I am pretty darn in touch with). It usually begins with a tight feeling in my chest, almost like I can't breathe (no matter if it is a happy feeling or sad or anything in between) and then whatever it is just seems to flow over me like someone is pouring a bucket of water over my head. I've got many friends that over the miles between us I can pick up on what they're feeling without them having to tell me. I don't know that being able to do that makes me an "Empath" or it just makes me very in tune with my close friends... It happens with people I don't know well at all (i.e. a person I talk to online only was mugged the other night. We were having a convo in a messenger window right after it happened and I could just tell there was something wrong. I kept feeling like I should be looking over my shoulder and that there was some restless sort of vibe coming from him. I didn't pry, I didn't feel that it would be appropriate to ask him what was wrong, for some reason. Usually I'm not shy about asking. I found out the next day in a journal post of his that just previous to talking to him he was beat up and robbed a block or so from his house...)

I could go on forever with different examples of the emotions I've picked up on from other people... but it would take forever. And I feel sorta cheesy for even going into this much detail.. heh.

But, Like I said. I don't claim to be anything... I haven't studied anything and I don't know much yet about differnt skills/abilities that people could possibly have... so. Yeah.

I'll sign off now... heh

[Mouse]

I was always told that empathy is short for "emotional telepathy" im not entirly sure how true that is, but it makes scence to me.

Theres a difference from being sympathetic, and being empathic.. but i think many people get confused.

Good question.. and i agree with you whole heartedly

[Zophael]

There is a difference between being empathic and being an empath. Everyone can show empathy watching a movie or get emotionally involved in a friend's sob story.
An empath is someone who can detect not so obvious or long-distance emotion. This is a form of limited telepathy.

Just my opinions.

[Suzette]

There is a difference between being empathic and being an empath. Everyone can show empathy watching a movie or get emotionally involved in a friend's sob story.
An empath is someone who can detect not so obvious or long-distance emotion. This is a form of limited telepathy.

Just my opinions.

I agree. I am an empath, and it has its good and bad points. My intuition is keen to a fault, and in situations where I have a choice to either be around someone or not it's a good thing. In situations such as professional ones, it can be frustrating. I can see through people, and work with many that would make your head spin... I do feel grateful for being able to see them as who they really are, which can be an asset.

I also recall once at the airport waiting in line to board the plane, and there was a young couple in front of me. The girl had a very short denim skirt on, but she was cute and slim so it suited her. The line stretched way behind me, when all of a sudden, this OLD man (and a total PERV at that) stands right next to me, as if he was in line with me, and all he did was STARE at this girls rearend. I'm standing there and staring HIM down and he didn't even flinch. Captain freekin obvious. What frightened me was what I "got" from him ~ that he molested children, many of them, boys and girls.

Being the outspoken woman I am, I said flat out to him, "You know it's truely RUDE for you to take cuts and to be standing here STARING at this woman's backside the way you are..." And he's like, "I'm not staring I'm not staring," and I just totally cleaned his clock. Everybody saw this guy who didn't blink for fear of missing something... The girl and her boyfriend/husband/whatever thanked me profusely after, but sheesh.

So being able to read people has it's ups and downs...

[Gede]

MM~
Lately I have been very empthatic. Like I am usually very perceptive and pick up on things when I focus on a certain person, but lately I have been feeling overwhelming feelings of jealously, vice, anger, hatred, illness, confusion etc. and it actually leaves me feeling completely depleted of energy and...it's hard to put it into words. That's like when I go downtown and I come home feeling dirty, penetrated and fragmented. Hmmm...how do you guys deal with it?

Namaste, Gede...

[AuroraFireHawk]

i sometimes "feel" things..some is emotionalsome is physical. I sense other ppls pain the most and from my expereince it is way different than a normal emotional response. I sometimes get an upset sotomache and/or a headache,then again sometimes it hits me the same as it does the person feeling it. The sensations usually hit me out of nowhere and usually at the worst times. I dont know if that is the defiation of an empath or not, and i am not sure that this helped in any way.
Love and Light,
AuroraFireHawk

[Xentor]

MM~
Lately I have been very empthatic. Like I am usually very perceptive and pick up on things when I focus on a certain person, but lately I have been feeling overwhelming feelings of jealously, vice, anger, hatred, illness, confusion etc. and it actually leaves me feeling completely depleted of energy and...it's hard to put it into words. That's like when I go downtown and I come home feeling dirty, penetrated and fragmented. Hmmm...how do you guys deal with it?

Namaste, Gede...

We either try to let it flow through, or we shield against it. Some of us learned to work with it.

Please join us in the empathic bunker.
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=30125

[whisper54]

I think that Moonstone is on the right track, There's a difference between feeling empathy and being empathic. What some people don't realize is that these are perfectly normal emotions finding root in an overly sensitive mind. What I don't see here are empathic people going out of their way to find out if they are wrong or right.

[skyler]

There we go.. I agree with everyone who has replied. The experiences some have shared here really help.
I can say sometimes I experience similar things but not so extreme, you know? It doesn't become so obvious to me that I'm picking up on someone else's emotions. The one thing that shocks me everytime it has happened, even though it has only been a few times, is when I feel someone elses physical pain or sickness. It freaks me out to tell you the truth.
A few days ago my boyfriend was suffering from anxiety.. his breathing was really hard and fast, and he had a horrible sensation in his chest. I hugged him and my breathing instantly become hard and fast and I had that sensation in my chest. Then we went to get a bite to eat and afterwards he got really nauseated (sp?) he felt like throwing up and everything that comes with it (I'm guessing this had to do with his anxiety.) I told him it would help if we tried meditating together and calming him down. After he left I was so sick.. I felt terrible! Suddenly, I felt extreme nausea and so drained I had to go to bed and I fell asleep instantly.
So, I don't know if that was feeling empathy, being empathic or having an overly suggestive mind lol..
What do you think?

[skyler]

What some people don't realize is that these are perfectly normal emotions finding root in an overly sensitive mind. What I don't see here are empathic people going out of their way to find out if they are wrong or right.


I'm not quite sure I understood that part of your post. Sorry, I'm kinda slow today. :D

[Suzette]

What I don't see here are empathic people going out of their way to find out if they are wrong or right.

What do you mean? And short of stalking someone, going out of ones way may not be possible.

I know what I pick up from those around me often/daily I am right on the money about.

Could you elaborate?

[Wildman55]

I believe we are all empathic on some levels, but some people are alot more prone to the energy that emotions generate than others. I consider myself empathic on a psychic level but that's because I've tested it and have had it confirmed by other psychics. For instance, someone can focus an emotion into an inanimate object, such as a rock, and not tell me what that emotion is, but I can nevertheless determine what emotion they have projected. I'm also able to sense emotions of others simply by coming in contact with them on Instant Messenger even...it's just being sensitive to their emotional energy. However, it can be quite the burden because it often takes time to differentiate between your own emotions and that of others.

[Athena-Nadine]

The only times I am empathic is with the people I love. It makes absolutely no difference how far away any of them are. Sometimes it's nothing but a vague impression, other times it goes so far to to consist of very definite knowledge, even crystal clear dreams. Though I've been told in the past that I am probably this way because people I care about are the only ones I don't unconsciously shield against due to past experiences in my life, I prefer it this way. It's disconcerting enough at times when it's someone I love. I can't imagine havine to fight against being constantly bombarded. :)