Empathic Tendencies? Need Help.

reply to post by worldwatcher


Thanks WW and all who posted in this thread. I've not found a solution that has worked as of yet, but I want to thank you all for giving ideas. It's much appreciated.... don't even know if you are going to read this thank you, but thanks.

reply to post by Osiris1953


I am also a empath, but I sit firmly in the "It's a curse" camp. I have to some extent shut it off on the simple fact I have a hard time getting my own feelings under some sort of control and don't want or need the crap I get off other people. I often have told people its like being a radio that plays all the stations at once that is surrounded by radio transmitters.

But my reason for intentionally shutting it off is simular to yours. Me and some friends were visiting a old graveyard in Galveston Tx (bad history that place has had with weather) at night and after leaving I was, well I call it a attack may have been a simple attempt at some sort of contact. For whatever reason she practically punched me with the most deepest feeling of dispair I have EVER felt, and I have lived a well to put it lightly tragic life so this level of dispair was well up there in magnitude. I was able to fight it off and not seek out the nearest bridge.

And ever since then I have, by force of will, kept it firmly shut off I guess you can say. Its late if I rambled by the way I apologise.

Originally posted by WraothAscendant
reply to post by Osiris1953

 

I often have told people its like being a radio that plays all the stations at once that is surrounded by radio transmitters.

That statement right there describes it perfectly. I think when it all is said and done, I have subconsciously turned it off to keep from getting overwhelmed. However, I think that I need to deal with it and try to get it back, because at the end of the day it is part of who I am. It could be because I am no longer influenced by the emotions of those around me, but I've become a different person and not necessarily for the better. I feel more closed off from my own emotions and it is harder to express them not feeling the reactions of those around me to the statements I make. In short even though it is a frightening thing to deal with at times I came to rely on being empathic. I dunno, I'm glad to have someone that can truly relate to my situation. Thanks for stopping by, any time you would like to talk more about this, I would welcome it wholeheartedly.

Osiris, I just came across this thread and I just wanted to tell you that I understand. Since I was little I have been having these strange dreams about things, and then later the deja vu that occurs when I realize that something that has happened or that I have heard was familiar because it was in a dream that I had earlier.

Also, since my grandmother died, I have had dreams about her where she has told me something important or I have actually thought (when I was awake) that I heard her voice. When I have asked my mom or someone about whatever it is she told me, they always act surprised, like, "how did you know that?"

As far as the empathy goes... For a long time, I have been very aware of the emotions of those around me. My mother refers to it as being "in tune." I have been acutely aware of what has going on (the mental and the physical) inside of people that I care about.

I finally worked up the nerve to talk to my mom about all of this over the summer. I hadn't told anyone, because I didn't want anyone to think I was crazy. It turns out that she has dealt with the same thing her whole life. So has her sister, and her father. This brought me some peace. I regret not mentioning it sooner. I have spent most of the past 25 years feeling depressed about these weird dreams, and thinking I was crazy.

Now I am trying to learn more about what is going on with me, and I am trying to use it better. For example, I recently helped a more experienced attorney pick a jury, based on the feelings that I got from the jury pool. He was very impressed, and to be honest... I was, too.

It's not a curse, but it's also not a gift unless you treat it like one. I just wanted to tell you that, because I wish someone would have told me that a long time ago. Would have saved me from years of grief.

I, like many other people on this site apparently, am empathic.


Not really by nature though. I got interested in Psionics, and opened myself up to it. In the process I discovered that precognition, telepathy, and empathy are all very closely tied together.

I used the Perceptive Three(it's a very scientific term ) to help me in various situations that my own 5 sense couldn't handle by themselves. They proved a very distinct advantage in gym class from time to time, and also during tests that I didn't study for.

They were good for a great many things, however I too shut them down. One day, everything was all whacked out. I was getting more input from all three of them then I had ever gotten before. For an example, I tasted the coffee that my 1st period teacher had before coming to school that morning, and I do not like black coffee.

At the end of the day I went home with a splitting headache. At that point I decided that the pro's were out weighed by the con's so I turned them off.

Don't get much input from any of them anymore.

Well, thats my story.

My advice is that you start to practice focusing on one emotion. Not nessisarily someone else's emotion, just an emotion. After you feel that emotion deeply, open yourself up and search for it places. Once you find it, try to narrow down who's feeling the emotion.

If its more then one person, then keep at it.

When you can do that, you'll be able to control what comes in and what you don't want to listen to.

Practice, practice, practice!

And have as much fun practicing as you can. A little fun goes a long way.

EDIT: Also, you must remember that you can do more then listen. Empathy is a two way street.

[edit on 25-11-2007 by Voidmaster]

reply to post by Voidmaster


I know this site is old, but I have to say that for me and my abilities have nothing to do with "reading" facial expressions, body language, or the way they type. lol on that one.

I "feel" others emotions all the time, I can shut it off to a point, but if there is a lot of people around, and emotions are high I get over whelmed and I start feeling like I need to get away from them, I feel like I want to cry, or yell, or laugh, or die all at the same time, it's close to a panic attack.

If I think about someone, I can tell what they are feeling. Being an empath also makes most a human lie detector, when someone is lieing to me I know, "their story or excuse just feels wrong". I have been developing my emathy for the last few years to make it more manageable and to strengthen it. I have had strong empathic abilities since childhood. Never bothered to develop them or talk about them for fear of ridicule from others.

As for grounding, I have found that empaths are drawn to natural grounders, my dh is a natural grounder, being near him in a large crowd helps most of the time. My close friends are grounders also. My oldest son is a grounder, but my youngest I think is an empath, but he won't admit to it.