Are You An Empath

I am a highly sensitive person and for some reason I feel the pain of others which at times can be quite exhausting. I am a good listener and I often find complete strangers opening up to me. Most of my friends tell me I have a calming influence/effect on them and they often open up their hearts to me.

My feelings get hurt easily and I have difficulty understanding why some people are mean. I sometimes find some people take advantage of my good nature. One of my friends tells me I need to stop spreading myself so thinly but this is who I am so I don't know how to.

I'm not such an easy pushover as I was when I was younger but I doubt I will ever change and I don't particularly want to, I do quite like who I am and my husband loves me as I am so that's ok.

I don't deal well with negative energy or aggression and when hit with it I am overwhelmed with anxiety so I tend to shy away from aggressive, negative people.

I'm a very deep thinker.

I seem to feel the need to take others pain away and take on that pain myself which in turn leaves me feeling drained and exhausted. When someone I love is hurting I take on that hurt and feel it so bad, I'm a very emotional person and find it hard to stop myself from crying knowing they are in so much pain. Some may call it a weakness but I always think God gave us tears for a reason and sometimes they need to be released.

At the moment one of my closest friends mum is dying in hospital and I have taken on my friends pain as if it is my own and I'm hurting deeply too as if it was my own Mother and I keep crying for my friend, (not crying in front of her, just crying FOR her) Somehow I can show strength outwardly whilst inside I am broken in situations like this.

I'm very sensitive to the 'feel' of an atmosphere and I have to get away if I feel negativity.

These are just some of the traits of me as a person and I have done a lot of research to find why I am the way I am because I feel 'different' to most other people.

After researching it appears I may be an 'empath' and reading about it has made me understand myself better and why I am as I am.

The reason I have got to thinking about it a lot today is because of how my friends Mum is dying and how I've taken on my friends pain, I just wish by me feeling this pain that it would take my friends pain away but obviously that won't happen and that grieves me and makes me feel so sorry.

Thank you for reading and allowing me to put 'pen to paper' as somehow getting my feelings out has helped me. I write a lot of poetry to help get my feelings out, especially in my grief of my Sister and Mum dying, most of those poems are very sad yet help me tremendously, I'm a strange one indeed.

So do you recognise yourself in my post? Do you think you may be an empath? If so how do you deal with it. I know there are many empaths out there and for someone to share this with would be great.

I know a few of the posters on OFF who may be but may not realise it. I won't name names though.

I'm sorry for the long post, I'm a bugger for long posts aren't I LOL.

Re: Are You An Empath

You have a gift, LionQueen, so don't knock it.

Just remember that the other end of the spectrum from empath is psychopath.

I know whom I'd rather have living next door!

Yes, of course feeling the pain of others is stressful, but rather that than having such a leathery skin, you don't feel anything.

There is nothing more healing than having someone else validating what one is feeling, so don't stop.

It's a bit like being a 'sin-eater'.........taking on yourself the pain of others in order to spare them some, and believe me, you will spare them some.

As you say, it is what makes you, you, and others love you for it, so don't stop.

Re: Are You An Empath

Hi

An empath?

No.

I am highly attuned to threats, I can sense danger.

With one great exception, I know when people are lying.

I am a highly skilled interrogator, very good at my job.

The one great exception?

Tall, slim, blondes.

Then I am a complete mug, a total walkover.

A glance at my history and bank balance will prove that.

Re: Are You An Empath

Thank you for your response, I enjoyed reading that. x

Re: Are You An Empath

I'm a small, fattish blonde so you don't need to worry I'll take you for a mug hehe. Thanks for the response swimmy, you are a lovely man xx

Re: Are You An Empath

LQ, just make sure you don't empath yourself out, that would be no use to anyone.

Re: Are You An Empath

That does cross my own mind as I have so many people who depend on me and need me so I do try to take time out for myself from time to time, I try spend time with my friends as much as I can and my next big time out for me is end of June, I'm going to musical theatre with friends, that always does me the world of good, Cinema and Musical theatre my favourite 'escapes' for a while. x

Re: Are You An Empath

Sometimes you just need to spend time with you, without any distractions.

Re: Are You An Empath

Very true,s,f.imo.

Re: Are You An Empath

Empaths,give and give and keep giving,often to the point of exhaustion,look after yourself LQ!.