When it happens too often, though, you might suffer the consequences of having too much empathy.
Feeling anothers distress can wear you out or turn youapatheticafter a while.
It can also cause mental health challenges.
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While there are those who are indifferent or hard-hearted about others travails, some have an overabundance of empathy.
They feel the hardships others are going through and this can take a toll on their well-being.
What Is Empathy?
Like the general population, scientists and psychologists do not agree on exactly what this concept ofempathyis.
According to a recent study,scientists have come closer toward a consensus on the nature of empathy.
They analyzed literature published between 1980 and 2019.
This can help in the measurement and development of future research on empathy.
How Is Too Much Empathy Toxic?
Empathy helps us connect to others and has positive attributes.
Unfortunately, maintaining the separation between the self and the other can be problematic.
Carrying the emotions of those who are hurting can also hurt us.
Thats why we need to modulate our emotions and develop and practiceemotional regulation.
If we dont, we are negatively impacted in various ways.
You Suffer With Those Suffering
Lets say youre comforting a friend whose child died.
You dont need to feel your friends terriblegrief.
you’ve got the option to still feel compassion for your friend and want to mitigate her pain.
You dont need to immerse yourself in total empathy.
Otherwise, youll also share the emotional anguish.
By having too much empathy, youd likely suffer along with your friend.
As a result, you become exhausted or depressed.
Then you might avoid visiting your friend.
But if you feelcompassion, youre more likely to reach out.
Since the pandemic, more people have felt empathic distress.
With so much overwhelmingly bad news, it was hard not to.
While you might think having empathy means you care, emotional overloading can lead to feelings of fatigue andhelplessness.
You might feel so devastated that you turn away and withdraw.
As a result, you may not take the actions needed to assist her, like buying her groceries.
you could Be Swayed Morally
Having too much empathy can affect your moral decision-making.
It can motivateprosocial behaviorbut in one studyscientists found that it can lead to bias.
Our empathy will therefore affect our decision-making rather than our reason.
We cant feel empathy for mass numbers of people in harms way.
We are also swayed morally through empathy and might not realize it.
We can be manipulated by politicians, for example, to feel empathy for one group and not another.
That can lead to cruelty and aggression.
You might also feel hopeless and becomedepressedas a result.
Empathy fatigue can also lead to your shutting down and no longer caring.
Compassion vs.
Empathy
Compassionand empathy are sometimes used synonymously.
Theyre related, but there is a difference.
With empathy, you take on their perspective and feelings.
If someone is anxious, then you feel anxious.
If the other person is in pain, then so are you.
It’s also important to check in with yourself regularly.
Then, you’re free to take the appropriate steps to help yourself feel better.
Are You an Empath?
Or in some cases, the situations that adversely affect you mentally haunt you.
You mightruminatewithout end and be unable to stop thinking about the situation or atrocity.
So, dont overlook the benefits that accrue from turning topsychotherapy.
For example, common therapies used to treat anxiety and overwhelming emotion arecognitive behavioral therapy(CBT).
Using CBT, you might learn how to transform negative thoughts and beliefs to lessen your anxiety.
You will reduce cognitive distortions through this method.
You might also learn mindfulness and deep breathing techniques.
Another therapy suggested is calledacceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
With this method, you accept rather than make a run at control or eliminate the problem.
And you increase your involvement in meaningful, healthy, and productive activities.
Youll do exercises or mindfulness training and maybe even homework with this approach.
Bloom P.Empathy and Its Discontents.Trends Cogn Sci.
2017;21(1):24-31. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2016.11.004
Cleveland Clinic.How Stress and Trauma Can Take a Toll on You.
Greater Good Magazine.What Is Compassion?.
