Do you consider yourself an empath? Is it very easy for you to catch the feelings of people around you to the point that you see yourself in their shoes? This is okay if it is at a normal level, it’s actually human nature to be a feeler. The problem starts when you become too much or too less of an empath.
There are two types of empathy disorders, hyper-empathy syndrome and empathy deficit disorder. Happiful, a health and wellbeing online company, explores the two ends of the empathy spectrum.
Hyper-empathy syndrome
Hyper-empathy is a natural capacity to be entirely linked and in tune with another person’s emotions, and hence be on high alert regarding negative sensations. A definition from The Edge Treatment Center paints it as your ability to empathise so powerfully that it becomes overwhelming, making it difficult for you to distinguish your own feelings from those of others. Caring for other people to that level might be admirable, but it can also be extremely taxing and make it difficult for you to care for yourself and sustain positive relationships. When empathy goes into overdrive, striking a balance is critical for your health.
Some of the symptoms of being a super empath are, according to the UK Therapy Guide, a foundation of qualified therapists in the United Kingdom:
- Finding it hard to say no to people because you feel sorry for them.
- Feeling an emotional response to someone’s pain even days after it happened
- Having physical responses like nausea and stomach ache when someone else experiences negative feelings
Empathy deficit disorder
Empathy deficit disorder (EDD) is defined as the inability to experience, understand, and relate to the feelings of others. This can cause difficulties in creating and maintaining connections for both the individual who lacks empathy and potential friends and loved ones. This person might even be be considered a narcissist.
Those experiencing EDD may find they have more personal conflicts, breakdowns in communications, or sometimes divisive opinions. This might leave a person feeling alone since they are too preoccupied with their own ideas and feelings to connect and have meaningful interactions with others.
The above-mentioned foundation also explains a few signs of someone with EDD as:
- Being overly judgmental and undermining other people’s feelings and emotions.
- Showing no appreciation or gratitude.
- Inability to understand people from a different cultural, political, or religious background.
Also see: Signs of sleep disorder
