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Ganondox
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25 May 2016, 5:05 am

This is definitely a thing, yes. While I can't necessarily say I'm hyper-empathetic myself, I'd say most my social problems are the result from having too much empathy rather than too little.


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Britte
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10 Jun 2016, 11:32 am

Hi, I've been off, trying to sort some things out with myself, although, that is not what I've returned, here to discuss, per se. I have been reading, relentlessly, in the past few days, and one of the things I am wondering is, if any of you (fellow hyper-empaths) think that our brains might work in some 'opposite'/opposing ways of those with alexithymia/alexithemic characteristics/traits, specifically in terms of the hyper-awareness that we possess, and alexithymic people's inability to identify or describe their (and, I think, other's, if I am not mistaken) emotions. I have just begun to read a bit about alexithymia and I am making some connections in terms of the differences between hyper-self awareness and some (opposite) effects/symptoms of alexithymia, and the difficulties or conflicts that might stem from interactions between people who are alexithymic/have alexithymia (<--I am not sure of the appropriate way to state it, as of yet) and sensitivities to the diversity, or, perhaps, polar oposite responses that seem to occur between a hyper-aware, or hyper-epathic person vs. an alexithymic person (although, I do not think that alexithymia has anything to do with a lack of empathy, per se). I am going to check out a couple books on the subject of alexithemia, today, because, I think, by merely understanding more about the way alexithymia works, it would be possible for me to acquire the ability to properly, consciously make appropriate adjustments to the way I associate/perceive/interperate responses from, or my interactions with people who have alexithymia, or related characteristics. On the other hand, I might find that my current understanding of alexithymia is inaccurate and I am way off. Or, perhaps hyper awareness and alexithymia can co-exist. It would be interesting to know if anyone else has ever given thought to this, or, if you may have related experience...



underwater
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10 Jun 2016, 11:36 am

Britte wrote:
Hi, I've been off, trying to sort some things out with myself, although, that is not what I've returned, here to discuss, per se. I have been reading, relentlessly, in the past few days, and one of the things I am wondering is, if any of you (fellow hyper-empaths) think that our brains might work in some 'opposite'/opposing ways of those with alexithymia/alexithemic characteristics/traits, specifically in terms of the hyper-awareness that we possess, and alexithymic people's inability to identify or describe their (and, I think, other's, if I am not mistaken) emotions. I have just begun to read a bit about alexithymia and I am making some connections in terms of the differences between hyper-self awareness and some (opposite) effects/symptoms of alexithymia, and the difficulties or conflicts that might stem from interactions between people who are alexithymic/have alexithymia (<--I am not sure of the appropriate way to state it, as of yet) and sensitivities to the diversity, or, perhaps, polar oposite responses that seem to occur between a hyper-aware, or hyper-epathic person vs. an alexithymic person (although, I do not think that alexithymia has anything to do with a lack of empathy, per se). I am going to check out a couple books on the subject of alexithemia, today, because, I think, by merely understanding more about the way alexithymia works, it would be possible for me to acquire the ability to properly, consciously make appropriate adjustments to the way I associate/perceive/interperate responses from, or my interactions with people who have alexithymia, or related characteristics. On the other hand, I might find that my current understanding of alexithymia is inaccurate and I am way off. Or, perhaps hyper awareness and alexithymia can co-exist. It would be interesting to know if anyone else has ever given thought to this, or, if you may have related experience...


For me, the hyperempathy thing seems to switch on and off. It's not at all reliable. I suspect I have alexithymia, but as I don't have a diagnosis I may be entirely wrong about this. I'm confused.


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EqualGroundsWrongToRight
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06 Jul 2016, 1:42 pm

This sounds a lot like me. It's like I'm some sort of buddhist, all understanding 21 year old version of ghandi, but yet I'm still very logical, and rational to the point of having a balance... I have a lot to offer when it comes to sounding judgement... E.G: The Law, and social ideals. I could make perfectly reasonable and fair laws for a nation that 99.9% of non bias people would likely agree with. (Much better laws and less bias/more understanding laws that America currently has)

Can anyone else here relate? If so, please respond to this :) I have a lot more to say, and am interested in hearing how other people here are aswell... So feel free to chat me up 8)



thevampslayer
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12 Jul 2016, 12:59 pm

I'm highly empathetic, to the point that it's often hard for me to function. It can be a one-on-one thing, where I feel the pain of a single person (this was a big problem when I was homeless because a lot of the girls I roomed with at the shelter had really f*****g tragic lives. After one of my roomies' aunts were kidnapped and less than a week later she was raped, leading to her trying to commit suicide, I could barely eat or get out of bed for weeks and considered committing suicide myself) or this thing where I feel like I'm experiencing the pain of everyone in the world at the same time, which is way too overwhelming and usually ends with me beating myself until I'm numb. I also have a lot of empathy towards animals, so walking past the lobster tank at the grocery store can ruin my week and some days I can't get out of bed because dairy cows miss their babies. I think empathy one of the main reasons I'm so depressed.



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Tufted Titmouse
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19 Jul 2016, 11:40 pm

I can really to relate something like that, I have an extreme emotional sensivity. Such as when I'm in a room with many people laughing and then I feel extremely stimulated, sometimes I even seem not to have control of my feelings and get in a strange laughing. That leads me to feel very tense and if possible avoid some of those situations that happens. I think I may have Pseudobulbar affect.



Zizu58
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20 Jul 2016, 5:42 pm

thevampslayer wrote:
I'm highly empathetic, to the point that it's often hard for me to function. It can be a one-on-one thing, where I feel the pain of a single person (this was a big problem when I was homeless because a lot of the girls I roomed with at the shelter had really f*****g tragic lives. After one of my roomies' aunts were kidnapped and less than a week later she was raped, leading to her trying to commit suicide, I could barely eat or get out of bed for weeks and considered committing suicide myself) or this thing where I feel like I'm experiencing the pain of everyone in the world at the same time, which is way too overwhelming and usually ends with me beating myself until I'm numb. I also have a lot of empathy towards animals, so walking past the lobster tank at the grocery store can ruin my week and some days I can't get out of bed because dairy cows miss their babies. I think empathy one of the main reasons I'm so depressed.


I'm kinda similar but maybe not too that extent ... I avoid newspapers as the news is usually horrendous which can make make me go into a sharp decline ....especially if it's a child abuse case or a terrorist attack or something .

I couldn't feel worse if it was my own family and these are just things happening to strangers thousands of miles away ....



MentalIllnessObsessed
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24 Jul 2016, 11:37 pm

Hello. For me, I find myself interesting in terms of empathy. My EQ says 19 out of 70, which is really low. I am a HSP though, 20/27 I believe if I counted correctly. I have always known I am a HSP, just didn't have a term for it. I did an alexithymia test and score with high traits of alexithymia. So I am apparently not empathetic at all, but I am overwhelmed by too much going on at the same time because of being a HSP. I believe there can be hypoempathetic people and hyperempathetic people out there with ASD. I thought I was empathetic, but I guess I'm not.


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sweeToxic
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27 Jul 2016, 6:57 pm

I have this... partly? Like, I have moments where I can be so touched by something so little, that I feel like I could easily burst into tears because of it. I can also be easily inspired by a lot of things and end up having to write stories based on those inspirational experiences as well. I am often highly emotional, especially when it's a case that doesn't involve me. For example, melting down do to tension with my parents arguing with someone. It causes me to meltdown into oblivion because I can instantly feel those emotions. I often tend to consider myself to be somewhat of an empath because of this too.


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taygeta
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01 Aug 2016, 12:20 am

UDG wrote:
There was an interesting article posted on this forum a while ago which posits that ASD people have a (relative) deficit in, what the author terms, cognitive empathy and a (relative) surfeit of, what the author terms, emotional empathy. That the deficit related to difficulties in the intuitive social understanding of other people, and the surfeit causing ASD individuals to feel and adopt the emotional states of others around them to a greater extent than usual (of the general population average), which could lead to avoidant social behaviours.


I feel this way a LOT. I have no problem telling what people are feeling, the problem lies in telling what people are thinking. I may be able to tell (and even feel) what a person is feeling, but it can be hard to figure out why the person is feeling that way. Also, just because I may know what a person is feeling right now, doesn't mean I know how a person will react to what I might say or do five minutes from now. In addition, while I don't have much trouble "reading" people, other people seem to have a hard time "reading" me which would suggest that maybe I don't react to things appropriately, or as expected.