Empaths

[Labhraín]

I've gotten some great information here at Aeclectic on empaths, and I'd like to know more about that subject. I understand now a little bit more about what it means to be an empath - that you are highly sensitive to external emotional energy which can cause you to get overwhelmed, but does that idea also apply to internal emotional energy? What I mean is, if you are an empath, does your own internal emotional system get overwhelmed by itself? I'm just trying to understand the whole thing - I guess what I am trying to describe is, can an empath cause their own emotional system to get wacky, without the input of external emotional energy? In other words, do you have to watch out for your own energy in addition to all the energy around you in your environment?

 

[PrincessPaulina]

I've been empathic since I was a kid, and I'm definitely a very emotional person; I feel (my own) emotions very deeply and intensely. I can also go from one emotion to the exact opposite very quickly and easily -- not in a bi-polar sort of way, but as an instant reaction to an idea or outside circumstance.

 

[PrincessPaulina]

I've been empathic since I was a kid, and I'm definitely a very emotional person; I feel (my own) emotions very deeply and intensely. I can also go from one emotion to the exact opposite very quickly and easily -- not in a bi-polar sort of way, but as an instant reaction to an idea or outside circumstance.

 

[Labhraín]

I've been empathic since I was a kid, and I'm definitely a very emotional person; I feel (my own) emotions very deeply and intensely. I can also go from one emotion to the exact opposite very quickly and easily -- not in a bi-polar sort of way, but as an instant reaction to an idea or outside circumstance.

Is this what all empaths experience?

 

[celticnoodle]

I've gotten some great information here at Aeclectic on empaths, and I'd like to know more about that subject. I understand now a little bit more about what it means to be an empath - that you are highly sensitive to external emotional energy which can cause you to get overwhelmed, but does that idea also apply to internal emotional energy? What I mean is, if you are an empath, does your own internal emotional system get overwhelmed by itself? I'm just trying to understand the whole thing - I guess what I am trying to describe is, can an empath cause their own emotional system to get wacky, without the input of external emotional energy? In other words, do you have to watch out for your own energy in addition to all the energy around you in your environment?

OMG, Yes! I can get overwhelmed very easily--and especially if I am already tired. If I am very well balanced, and I mean VERY WELL BALANCED, by not have having a lot of 'outside' contact (I can be a bit of a Hermit), and am feeling well, just sitting down to watch a television show can really effect me.

I'm not really that much of a tv show watcher, but every now and again, I will sit and watch television. If something happens on it that is emotional, you can surely tell by my reactions--because I will be crying and really upset.

I purposely try to distance myself from people whom I know are psychic vampires and this includes taking phone calls from them. Even thinking about them too much can already put me on the brink. If I am with them too much, or talk on the phone with them--then go and watch a sad movie/television show (heck EVEN commercials!) and I'm a mess.

When I find myself getting to be like that--I will either turn off tv or leave the room where it is, and go and take a shower/bath (depending on how bad I am) and go to be bed early. Perhaps just sit in the quiet for a period of time--long enough to cry it out, then go and splash my face with cold water to refresh and I am much better. I find luke warm showers help me a lot--because I can get into the shower, and just put my head under the water and cry, and between both, I seem to clean all the emotions out of my body head to toe. After something like this, I also like to then listen to my chakra cleansing and balancing cd.

I get like this too after I've been to the hospital, whether it is to visit someone hospitalized or there for an appointment. Something about being there with all the other people--many who are obviously in a bad way. I come home and I'm so exhausted and drained and emotional. I generally will have to again take a shower, cry it out and then take a nap or have again some meditative alone time to get myself back together again.

eta: I do find that daily balancing and protection rituals do help immensely. Sometimes I don't do this--forget to do so or get busy with something else, and if I do forget--I will find that 99% of the time - I pay for it. So, balancing and protection rituals do help a lot.

 

[PrincessPaulina]

I hope you aren't asking me, as I can't speak for anyone else (and would probably start a flame war if I even came close to generalizing!)

My suspicion is that empaths are very attuned to "feelings" -- and since they are so sensitive in general, why would they NOT experience their own emotions strongly?

If you don't mind my asking, what is the basis for your question? Is there a larger issue you are looking at?

 

[Labhraín]

I hope you aren't asking me, as I can't speak for anyone else (and would probably start a flame war if I even came close to generalizing!)

My suspicion is that empaths are very attuned to "feelings" -- and since they are so sensitive in general, why would they NOT experience their own emotions strongly?

If you don't mind my asking, what is the basis for your question? Is there a larger issue you are looking at?

I'm just curious as to how empaths react to everyday things, stuff on tv like someone else mentioned, a song, anything small like that that can "tweak" your emotions. Thanks to all for your input.

 

[JONIKA]

Labhraín,
that's a good question. My answer is no. From my experience - I've learned not to get churned up inside. I am usually pretty calm and at peace with myself when there are no outside influences. But, as we are empaths, that's a difficult state to reach for some. Many times, I feel emotions of people who are far away, even though I am all by myself at the moment, I feel THEM and this can create confusion. As an empath, you have to learn to distinguish what is yours and what emotions belong to someone else but you are picking them up. Movies don't bother me because I know they are just movies. In real life, emotions of other people can get me pretty hard. But again, I know they are not mine and so I am able to use them to help this individual and later let them go.

The question you have may also be connected to experiencing some residual emotional energy empaths carry within themselves after they've been with people who feel some strong emotions...

These are just my 2 cents.

Love and Peace

 

[JONIKA]

I'm just curious as to how empaths react to everyday things, stuff on tv like someone else mentioned, a song, anything small like that that can "tweak" your emotions. Thanks to all for your input.

From my point of view, people get emotional. They may not necessarily be empaths. However, empaths have a stronger tendency to be emotional.

 

[ana luisa]

This has been a fascinating thread!!! I don't know if I'm an empath but I can relate to almost everything CN said. I used to get what I called input overload. If I stay too long with people who are too intense or talk too much or stay in an environment with background music (even low volume) for 2-3 hours, I start feeling literally sick. As if I had taken a medication and wanted something OUT of my system. Headaches, intense lack of balance. Sometimes, the eye sockets hurt as well.
I also have my embarrasing throw up fits... If a person who is negatively charged walks behind me or gets too close, I get sick and literally throw up. I am lucky for living where I live because people accept this and I can openly tell them they need a cleansing...
I found out that what helps a lot is going outside and walking. Not necessarily in the woods but just to "air out". Keeping an upstraight posture helps (don't know why) and eating icy stuff. The BEST though is taking a dive in the ocean. I know, if you're not close to the beach, it gets difficult. but any MOVING body of water is excellent for that. The salt is just the icing on the cake
And no, I'm not bipolar nor suffer from depression. But it does feel like this picture sometimes. With the walls closing in.