Signs That You're An Empath
Do you often just instinctively know how a complete stranger is feeling? Have you frequently noticed someone else's feelings seem to have 'rubbed off' on to you? Perhaps you are someone who seems to feel every emotion extremely profoundly, even if its something simple. These are all signs you are an empath. An empath is someone highly sensitive to what others around them are feeling. Often, empaths aren't even aware of their heightened sensitivity. If you suspect you may be an empath, here are the signs of empathetic abilities you probably have experienced at some point.
Highly Intuitive
An empath is a highly intuitive individual, and they seem to just know things. Not specific things or actions, but more like the emotions surrounding them. If an individual has had a rough past, an empath will be able to pick up on past hurt and pain, and if someone has an optimistic future, an empath will be able to sense the hope and excitement. If someone is in love, the empath can sense it immediately. The individual often doesn't have to say or do anything to tip off an empath, who can simply feel the vibes coming from others.
Naturally Helpful
Because empaths are so in tune with feelings, they often want to help others as much as possible. They can sense when someone needs help and the gratitude of an individual when they are being helped. Whether consciously or subconsciously, this gratitude tends to be motivation for an empath to continue to help others so they can experience the gratuitous feeling over and over. Being naturally helpful and experiencing the feeling that goes with it can bring a sense of harmony and peace to the world. All empaths secretly desire for the whole world to be in a feeling of harmony and peace.
Highly Observant
Empaths could make great private detectives because they notice and observe everything even without realizing they are doing it. An empath can glance at an individual and observe their clothing, hairstyle, makeup, and tell exactly what motivated them to dress that way. The highly observant empath pays attention to minor details such as the color of an individual's buttons, the way someone smiles, or the notes of a lovely scent. They may notice a co-worker suddenly working more or less. More importantly, empaths can sense how these things make someone feel. No matter how much someone tries to hide their feelings, an empath can observe things about that person and just instantly know what emotions are in their head.
Naturally Sensitive
Being naturally sensitive is one of the main traits of an empath, as it is what allows them to pick up on how others are feeling. However, being naturally sensitive can also be a bit of a nuisance in an empath's life. Until empaths learn to control their ability, being naturally sensitive can rule the empath's own emotions. For example, if someone is extremely sad, an empath can become extremely sad also, and may even cry and feel worse than the other person does. Because of this sensitivity, many empaths take on the weight of the world when terrible things happen. It can sometimes be very overwhelming for them.
Empathetic And Compassionate
Have you ever heard someone say, "I know how you feel?" Well if an empath says this to you, they actually mean it. Empaths can pick up on almost any emotion, so by the time they have reached a certain age they have experienced almost every emotion in the book. This means empaths can be a lot more understanding and compassionate than most individuals because they know what it feels like to be dealing with the same types of feelings. They can also sense a person's genuine intentions, so this makes them even more empathetic and compassionate than others.
Crowds Are Often Overwhelming
Individuals with intuitive empathy can often be overwhelmed by crowds. The huge amount of noise and conflicting emotions can lead to a feeling of sensory overload. It might be difficult to stay centered and grounded when around crowds, and you may feel 'lost' in the emotions of others. Individuals who exhibit this sign may have difficulty in places like malls, airports, sporting events, parades, and other areas that have many people. One thing that may help when dealing with crowds is to focus on your own internal emotions. Rather than letting the feelings of others influence you, you should pay attention to what's happening in your own head.
Negativity Is Overwhelming
Empaths often find negativity is overwhelming. Some individuals develop intuitive empathy as a result of growing up in volatile home environments, which can make them even more sensitive to negative atmospheres. Other people tend to have varying tolerance levels for anger, conflict, and raised voices. However, empaths have little to no tolerance for these things. Negative atmospheres can have a detrimental effect, leading empaths to feel anxious, nauseous, and like they're in pain. They might crave a calm, peaceful environment. Many empaths take on an appeasing role in their social relationships, whether that be romantic relationships, relationships with children, friendships, or work relationships. They may sacrifice their own point of view or desires to keep from troubling the waters.
Low Pain Tolerance
If you're an empath, you may have a low pain tolerance, which means it's harder for you to deal with physical pain than for others. Dealing with minor injuries, feeling nauseated, and getting shots are all experiences that can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. You might even have had doctors express surprise that you experience pain or discomfort with normally-painless procedures. For some individuals with intuitive empathy, doctor's offices and hospitals can send their senses into overdrive because they're picking up on the fear and discomfort of the people surrounding them. Empaths may also feel faint when they get injured or have to deal with pain.
Easy To Spot Lies
Empaths often find it quite easy to spot lies. They might also be more sensitive about the truth. Many intuitive empaths get extremely upset when they or their loved ones are lied to. Even well-meaning white lies or lies of omission can be upsetting. Empaths notice lies because they pick up on the subconscious emotional cues of those around them. When they're attuned to what a person is feeling and how they communicate, falsehoods and discrepancies become much more apparent. Empaths typically prefer to have proof of facts rather than taking others at face value. They may be sensitive because of having been lied to in the past.
More Sensitive To Medications
Many empaths report being more sensitive to medications than the average person. This often means they might also have a high sensitivity to stimulants. While others can't get by without a morning cup of coffee, caffeine may make you feel agitated and anxious if you are an empath. If you have caffeine in the afternoon or evening, you won't be able to sleep at night. You may find you have frequent side effects or intolerant reactions to different medications. Instead of being able to manage average prescribed doses, empaths may only be able to take a fraction of the medicine without experiencing side effects. This can make it difficult to find medications that work for any number of conditions, both temporary and chronic.