Problems with being an empath

Post Reply New Topic

I've never liked the idea that being an "empath" is some spiritual, psychic, supernatural power. It's really not nor should it be touted as one.

I could be classified as an "empath." When someone is around me I start to feel what they do. More like mimic it. My subconscious picks up on subtle clues and whatever previous interactions I've had with the person. I then start to feel that way. For example if someone is scared, I feel scared, angry, I feel angry, sad, I feel sad... and so on and so on. Clearly, this works better with people I interact with often. Call it a better well of information.

This is the result of being brought up in a household where my mother was Manic depressive and neurotic, My father was a depressed alcoholic and my brother was bipolar and prone to aggressive outbursts. I was always on edge and learned quickly how to read the room. Mainly for my safety. This gave me the ability to diffuse some issues before they blew up.

Why my body alerts me before my brain I have no idea. I usually suddenly get a mood shift and immediately reevaluate my surroundings. Then I can piece together what's going on. This is purely a defense mechanism that is completely explainable and not something mystical. Once people stop seeing it as something supernatural it's actually more useful.

Everyone wants to be "special" and the "special" ones just want to be normal.

I can be classed off as an empath.
Not by choice -- I could never accept the idea, but I have to deal with it.

Unlike both the commonly mystified portrayal or the demystified versions of it.


I'm not easily triggered upset at things normally people find upsetting.
I have a screwed sense of fear to the point of not having phobias, relying on my sadness does not make me sympathetic but more aggressive. Anxiety is practically never one to describe me.
I'd be the kind who would take NSFW just for the heck of it.
In other words, I'm not that kind of sensitive.

Like any autistics, my cognitive empathy is shot, my sensory processing already gets in a way, and I have no social instincts to guide me where to look and what to mimic.
Also unlike those who are sympathetic and would compulsively approach others -- I'm not.
I'm asocial and my personal projections are wholly incompatible even amongst autistics.
My upbringing does not even encourage social vigilance.

And yet, and yet -- unlike emotional mimics and the socially vigilant.
I get to sense other emotions -- no eye contact, no voice tone, no what ifs or shoulds -- either being unaware of it until it's too late, or being aware that isn't what or how I would react.


At the end of the day, no matter how well versed I'm with 'vibes' and 'feels' and all those things -- I'm still just as socially clueless and just as socially apathethic to be swayed.



Instead of fussing around the label 'empath' and it's vulnerabilities, I'd just treat it like an internal states-emotional version of autistic cognitive-sensory processing.

I'd rather find a tool to enrich emotional intelligence, regulation and processing, not to mention work around the traits of alexithymia.

Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).

Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.