Empathy in psychology: what is it in simple words

Hello, dear readers! Empathy in psychology is considered as the ability to consciously understand the emotions and feelings of other people. An empathic person has compassion for everyone who needs comfort and rejoices with everyone else in moments of delight. Today we'll talk about empaths. And to be more specific:

I will tell you in simple words what empathy is;
We will take a psychological test to determine your level of empathy;
I will give you 40 character traits of an empathic person;
Let's find out what types of empathy there are;
Let's talk about how to behave with an empathic person;
And how to develop this amazing ability to feel the state of another person.

Empaths are very precious people!

What is empathy

In simple words, empathy is the ability to empathize, sympathize with another person, any living creature and even a plant.

Moreover, such empathy is a conscious action. The person remains in the real world and also looks at the situation or some things realistically. An empath is a person who (empathetic) consciously projects the feelings of another onto himself. He not only shares his feelings with someone, he is able to understand the depth:

grief;
joy;
despair;
fear.

To one degree or another, empathy is characteristic of all people. Surprisingly, psychologists around the world believe that most hardened criminals - murderers, robbers, maniacs, all of them have a very strong empathic ability.

When answering a survey about who these empaths are, we can say that they are all of us. It’s just that each person has a different level of it. Thus, a young mother may experience the pain and fear of a child who will have to stay in an unfamiliar place for the first time. For example, in kindergarten, alone, without her support. At the same time, the child’s father may not experience such fear. He does not have a high enough level of empathic abilities. Which does not allow you to feel the situation and apply it to yourself. He simply does not feel how scary it is for a baby who is left without parents for the first time.

Empathy works best with people close to you. We empathize with them the most. However, not all people are empaths. Some, no matter how much they want, cannot sympathize in such a way that this someone really feels supported.

Interestingly, empaths are able to empathize and react sharply not only to events that occur in the same reality as them. They can even empathize with the characters of a work or film. They are easy to spot in the cinema hall - they cry after the show (they are in a bad mood if the ending of the film seemed sad) or, on the contrary, they laugh loudest of all. The same thing happens when reading books. So, if on the subway you see a person holding a book in his hands, smiling from ear to ear or vice versa, you probably have a very strong empath in front of you.

Empathy is inherent in every person to one degree or another!

What promotes the development of empathy?

Everyone has the ability to feel a person from the inside to one degree or another. The only exceptions, perhaps, are some clinical cases of imbalance. Factors influencing the development of empathy include:

Integrity of the nervous system (activity of mirror neurons).
Life experience.
Genetic features.
Social and everyday environment.
Personal characteristics (introvert or extrovert, for example).

So, depending on one or another component, reflection is expressed to varying degrees.

Physiological reasons

In the field of science, the sensory characteristics of the body remain not fully understood. There are theories that a large number of mirror neurons and their active work cause pronounced empathy.

Some scientists believe that the reason for the strength of this ability, like some other personality traits, lies in the genetic code. So, if the parents carried the corresponding gene, then there is a high probability that the child will also inherit it. Externally, this property can manifest itself as sensitivity and empathy.

Environment

The environment indirectly participates in the process of socialization, as it creates the conditions for the formation of the individual. There is a stereotype that provincial residents are more responsive and hospitable than urban residents. Perhaps a more closed, isolated lifestyle is one of the reasons for the decrease in empathy.

Excessive communication, especially virtual, also contributes to self-isolation and the formation of a protective barrier. This most invisible layer not only prevents you from feeling someone else’s mood, but also prevents those around you from breaking through it.

Individuality

By acquiring experience (emotional, everyday, intellectual), a person develops new specific traits. It is widely believed that empaths are more common among melancholic and phlegmatic people. However, with the proper lifestyle and active, thoughtful communication, such a feature is easily formed in choleric and sanguine people.

Regardless of the type of temperament, reflection develops or fades for many reasons related to the psyche. Outward indifference, as well as feigned interest, do not always indicate a high level of empathy.

Unrealistic communication, including excessive or insufficient, busyness, indifference, inattention, haste - signs that suppress the development of empathy. If everything is in order with a person’s genetics and psyche, then it is enough to adjust his lifestyle and his attitude towards the world.

Internal balance and attentiveness to others promote reflection. It is important to want to understand what the other person feels, what he wants, fears, and avoids. If you don’t hide your own emotions and don’t push people away, then sooner or later you will be able to come to an understanding.

The Scientific Explanation of Empathy

The term empathy, unlike, for example, the term “compassion,” is not associated with a specific emotion, denoting the fact of empathy for any emotional state, regardless of its nature. The introduction of this term into the scientific community was due to Edward Titchener and Sigmund Freud. In 1905, Freud defined the ability to empathize as the ability to put oneself in the patient's situation in order to better understand him and obtain material for comparison. Freud compared his own state during the period of empathy with the state of the person he was experiencing.

Over the years, scientists have discovered that the level of empathic abilities depends on the mechanism that triggers them. So they distinguish:

Emotional empathy associated with the desire to project and imitate the motor and affective reactions of another person;
Cognitive empathy, manifested in people who are able to compare, draw similar parallels, and use intellectual abilities in their usual activities;
Predictive empathy, based on a particular person’s ability to predict another person’s reaction to a given situation.

Read more about the types of empathy below. Its special forms are empathy, as the opportunity to experience the same emotions as another person. And sympathy, which manifests itself in the form of expressing one’s state regarding the experiences that have gripped another person. Examples of empathy can be easily observed in everyday life, for example, on public transport.

Empathy applies to the entire spectrum of feelings!

Empathy in children

Kids are sensitive, vulnerable, trusting. They learn to empathize and gain experience from the examples of their parents. Of course, the level of empathy will remain low during the school years if adults do not have special intelligence.

If a child receives warmth and love from his parents in full, then he usually develops and learns well.

Empathy in children needs to be nurtured, which means teaching them how to communicate correctly with peers and adults. This task primarily falls on the shoulders of the parents, starting to imitate and behave the same way.

Psychologists have developed many different trainings for conducting group and individual sessions with the aim of developing emotional memory. Children's exercises that will definitely help develop empathic abilities in children:

“Telephone”, when after a conversation the baby tries to convey what he heard with gestures and facial expressions, to express the evoked feelings.
“The Monkey and the Mirror”, where a child poses in the mirror, expressing his emotions with facial expressions, gestures, and gaze.

Brief characteristics of an empath

In short, an empath is a person who will always find the right words of consolation and support, cry and laugh with you, listen, and help if necessary. It’s good to have such a friend or girlfriend, a loved one. Let's talk about the signs of an empath by which he can easily be identified in more detail.

Empaths make great friends!

Willingness to help

Empathy manifests itself in the desire to provide help if it is needed. An empath helps selflessly. He likes to see how the situation improves, how thanks to him a person has the strength to live, create, and work. Such people do not expect gratitude and never take offense at those who “do not remember kindly.” True, there are exceptions. Some empaths use their ability to improve their self-esteem. But the feeling of moral satisfaction is more of a pleasant bonus than what a person strives for when helping a friend or even a stranger.

Empathy is almost always a selfless character trait!

Listening skills

People love to talk about themselves and their own problems. At the same time, not being delighted by anyone else’s attempts to complain about life or talk about the difficulties that have arisen. The exception is empaths. These people are the best listeners you can imagine. They have no desire to judge the narrator or lecture him. On the contrary, they will find words with which they can explain even the most unsightly act. And in such a way that you will immediately feel better. You will feel important and your mood will improve. Empaths are excellent advisors.

You definitely have at least one empath among your friends. Remember your friends!

Active empathy

Empaths experience the suffering of others as if they were their own. They don’t sleep, they are depressed, they lose their appetite. From infancy, an empathic child should be taught to control his own emotions. Otherwise, his ability to empathize with others will be to his detriment.

Ability to reflect

It is important to learn to reflect; many empaths do this quite well. Therefore, they not only understand others well, reading their emotions, but also themselves. Self-analysis helps to cope with the emotions adopted from another person. And don't let them overwhelm you.

Correctly interpreting your feelings is about them!

Definition, classification and levels

Empathy can manifest itself when a doctor communicates with a patient.
Empathy is the ability to empathize with other people and respect their feelings. A person who is prone to empathy reacts very sharply to the emotions and feelings of others, he feels them on himself. An empath is a hypersensitive person, always ready to help.

In psychology, there are five types of empathy.

Emotional. It is typical to perceive people's feelings on an emotional level.
Cognitive. There is an intellectual perception of the feelings of other people, while turning to analogies, comparisons, and drawing parallels.
Predicative. The ability to identify in advance an individual’s possible reactions to certain events and behavior in specific situations.
Empathy. There is an identification of oneself with a person who experiences some emotions, experiences of his emotional state.
Sympathy. The social aspect, which expresses the empath's state of mind regarding the worries of another individual.

You need to understand that empathy begins to develop from childhood. As an individual grows up, he gains life experience and becomes able to recognize people's feelings. However, regardless of how old someone is, there are manifestations of sensitivity to varying degrees. So there are four main levels.

Short. There is a weak craving for empathy. Such people rely only on logic and real facts; they are not familiar with actions that are committed under the influence of emotions. Such individuals do not understand the feelings of other people, they look at all problems only from their own position, without thinking that for someone they may be more significant. It is extremely difficult for these individuals to get along with others, they try to avoid companies, rarely communicate with neighbors and colleagues, and have very few friends. Among men, non-impatiens are four times more common than among women.
Normal. This level of empathy is typical for most people. It is also called standard level. Characteristic of 80 percent of people. Such individuals can understand the emotions and feelings of others, but they do not worry too often and do not think much about other people’s feelings. Such empathy is characteristic of almost every second person; they often remain indifferent to the problems of others. They are sensitive to the emotions that they themselves or those around them experience.
High. Such people don't come along often. They are called empaths. They understand the emotions and feelings of other people very well, listen carefully, notice all the details, and empathize in any situation. Such people are socially active and easily make new acquaintances; they have many friends. Thanks to the ability to communicate with people, they achieve great achievements in their personal and social life, and career growth. A person who is at this level empathizes with others without experiencing discomfort; the emotional perception of other people’s feelings does not cause anxiety or suffering.
Elevated. For such individuals, the feeling of empathy causes discomfort. A person has difficulty distinguishing his own problems from those of others. This condition is accompanied by the following manifestations:

excessive impressionability;
severe vulnerability;
acute experience of the feelings and emotions of other people;
the emergence of feelings of guilt for the pain felt by others;
worry and suffering for the problems of others.

This level has a negative impact on the life of an empath, impairs his communication skills, and is often a factor influencing the development of mental illness. In such a situation, it is important to engage in psychotherapy to correct hyperempathy.

Manifestations of empathy can be different. It is worth considering that, for example, psychological and pedagogical empathy are not similar to each other, however, both are subtypes of the same ability. Let's look at examples that appear in different situations.

Pedagogical. It appears when the student communicates with the teacher. A teacher with empathic abilities will be able to easily establish contact with a child; he will recognize his needs, feelings, take into account his inclinations and personal characteristics, will not challenge his point of view and will unobtrusively guide him in the right direction.
Psychological. It appears when the psychologist communicates with the patient. The specialist listens carefully to him, recognizes his emotional state, and expresses true empathy.
Creative. Characteristic of an actor getting used to the role. In order to play well, he needs to try on the image of the character, imbued with his emotions, feelings, and understand the reasons for his actions. As a result, when the viewer sees the performance of this person, he will be convinced of his professionalism.

What types of empathy is divided into?

It was already mentioned above that, depending on the reason, several types of empathy are distinguished. It is worth learning about each of them in more detail; such information will be useful to everyone. Because there are very few people who are absolutely devoid of empathy.

It should be mentioned that a person can use several types of empathy at the same time. But it happens that he is completely unable to understand the moods and feelings of those around him, and this leads to unpleasant consequences.

Basically, psychologists divide empathy into 3 types.

Cognitive empathy

This type of empathy is shown by people who have learned not only to empathize with an object showing a certain emotion, but also to analyze those actions or words, the situation that became the primary source of such emotion. Carrying out the necessary analytical operations, the empath actively uses the feelings that he experienced in the past, as well as his own experience. He carefully observes the interlocutor, taking into account his facial expressions, gestures, intonation of voice and even the expression of his eyes. Cognitive empaths have a good understanding of people, which helps them better build relationships with colleagues at work and at home.

They do this even during the first conversation!

Emotional empathy

An empath is so deeply immersed in the personality of another person that at a certain point in time he can lose himself. And even lose self-control, replace the interlocutor. Such empaths have a special nervous system. All emotions of others, especially if they are strong, are perceived as their own. This kind of empathic ability often gets in the way of people. They are constantly stressed and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. An emotional empath becomes unsettled even after listening to a news show or reading a book.

Such empaths need to learn to control their abilities, otherwise they may even cause harm!

Predicative empathy

The most convenient type of empathy for the owner. Predictive empaths are able to predict people's reactions to various stimuli. They are guided by logic, common sense and the instinct inherent in them by nature itself. They can understand how the interlocutor will act in a specific situation even before it arises. This helps to never invade someone else's personal space and avoid related conflicts.

Any of the species will perfectly feel all your experiences.

Levels of empathy in psychology

The ability to empathize is inherent in all people. But not everyone actively uses it. And some don't even know about its existence. To test the level of empathy, psychologists use special psychological tests for empathy. The most popular testing methods were developed by I. Yusupov and A. Mehrabyan. We also developed such a test. You can find out your level of empathy below.

The implication is that everyone has empathy. Some people just have more and some have less.

High level of empathy

People with high levels of empathy feel other people's emotions more strongly than their own. Because of this, their psyche suffers. They end their days in a psychiatric clinic. Fortunately, a high level of empathy is not common; the condition is easily identified and corrected by a psychologist.

This is called hyperempathy. It is characterized by:

Excessive generosity. He will give away his last shirt. And to support a friend in trouble, he will walk tens of kilometers;
Amazing sincerity;
Immunity to insults. He does not remember evil and often steps on the same rake.

This level is also characterized by softness of character, which is often perceived as weakness and a good chance for manipulation. A gentle person is a godsend for scammers and people trying to shift their responsibilities onto the shoulders of others.

Such people themselves are very vulnerable. Appreciate them!

Average level of empathy

Most mentally healthy individuals have the ability to empathize to one degree or another. Therefore, we can say that half of the world's population is at an average level of empathy. Which manifests itself in the following forms:

The desire to listen and understand the interlocutor;
The ability to put oneself in the place of another, to imagine his emotions;
Understanding and empathizing with the suffering of others.

Average empaths are balanced and mentally healthy. Unlike people with a higher level, they worry less and are able to control their own feelings. They don't let someone else's perception of the situation ruin their mood.

Most people on the planet belong to the average level!

Low level of empathy

Lyuli with a low level of empathy are also mentally healthy. However, they are not able to empathize with anyone. Other people's tears and even laughter don't touch them much. They rarely show their own emotions. An empath's primary thoughts and feelings are focused on themselves. And he doesn't care about others. The reason for the low level of empathy should be sought in undeveloped behavioral skills.

A person who does not know how to communicate quickly gets lost in a new team. He develops negative feelings towards those around him who are trying to stir him up. The result is disappointment in work and leaving for a place where you don’t need to communicate with people. People who lack even average empathy are often (but not always) called introverts. That is, withdrawn into themselves. They try to stay away from old people and children, they scare them. And also from areas of activity in which communication becomes the key to success. For such empaths, negative emotions are mainly associated with criticism. They just can't stand it. But the outburst of anger associated with an unpleasant word spoken to the empath quickly passes.

People with low levels of empathy may not notice another person's problems at all!

How to find out your level of empathy

You can assess your level of empathy yourself, but it is difficult, and the assessment may not be objective. Therefore, special tests, which were already mentioned at the beginning of the section, will help you find out your level. Our team of psychologists, especially for you, has developed just such a test. After passing this test, you will find out your level and also receive a short description.

How to dull empathy?

Surely many people will say that empathy and the ability to empathize are superfluous in life or some kind of burden, when excessive emotions and worries about strangers lead to health problems and nervous breakdowns.

Of course, it is important to keep your own experiences under control, not to go to extremes, or to be able to extinguish an explosion of emotions in a timely manner, without becoming too immersed in the feelings of other people. A person is designed in such a way that if you give up the ability to fully empathize, you will end up with isolation, loneliness, and selfishness in relation to others.

Many people cannot help but empathize with strangers and tend to take other people's problems upon themselves. Such hyperempathy can result in an emotional breakdown, psychological failure, and the development of diseases of the nervous system. You can dull empathy if:

change occupation;
find a new hobby;
spend more time on yourself;
get away from a conversation with an intrusive interlocutor and concentrate on another object;
try to calm down, retire for a while;
stop all conversations with strangers so as not to get upset;
focus attention on a new person, leave the one for whom you have to worry a lot;
do not delve too deeply into the problems of your interlocutor and it’s okay if after a few hours the essence of the conversation with him is forgotten;
timely disconnect from the conversation with the interlocutor on a subconscious level.

Thus, emotions will gradually begin to fade away, and the mechanisms of empathy will not be activated. Of course, strangers may soon cause a surge of emotions again, because we all live in society and have to communicate every day. The main thing is to learn to keep the process of experiencing under control, to be able to be distracted in time, and not to let other people’s negative emotions pass through you.

The following techniques will help dull empathy:

meditation;
breathing exercises;
talking about extraneous things.

It is important to learn to switch off emotionally in a timely manner, to understand and listen to other people, but to fight hypertrophied empathy. In the future, this should become a habit. Of course, if you cannot eliminate unnecessary worries on your own, then it is worth visiting a psychologist or psychotherapist. A specialist will help you abstract from unnecessary emotions

Test to determine the level of empathy

Time is Up!

Time's up

In fact, everyone can analyze themselves and roughly understand their level.

Is empathy good or bad?

Empathy is neither good nor bad. This is what a person is born with or what he acquires as he grows up and communicates with other people. Of course, being overly sensitive to other people's emotions is not very pleasant, but such people always have many friends. And also, by listening to others, advising, grieving and rejoicing with others, they make this world a little better.

People whose sense of empathy is poorly developed also have nothing to be sad about. The nervous system of introverts is stronger and works better. This means that if a truly difficult situation arises, you will be able to use all its resources to the fullest. Takei people will survive stress with fewer losses.

Without empathy, we wouldn't be human at all!

How to develop empathy

Being an empath is not as bad as not feeling anything. It is worth repeating that there are no completely insensitive and at the same time mentally healthy people. There are people with low levels of empathy. But with some effort, it can be increased.

Now I will give you tips on the easiest way to develop empathy!

Expand your social circle

To increase your sensitivity to other people's emotions, communicate with more people. How can a person understand that he can sympathize and empathize or not, if his circle of communication is limited to close relatives and store clerks? Expand your social circle. Include, for example, your housemates, Instagram followers, and work colleagues. It should be remembered that communicating with a large number of people is always associated with stress. Therefore, I do not advise you to suddenly go out into the world.

This is difficult, but very important!

Learn to listen and hear

If a friend tells a completely uninteresting book, movie, TV series, or once again retells the story of how she met her future husband, you really want to interrupt her and tell her about your own problems. But what makes you think that your story will be more interesting? Perhaps because what is told will concern you yourself. Touch your interests, feelings and desires. A person with a low level of empathy will interrupt a friend's story without regret, refusing to respond to any complaints related to it. An empath of medium and high level, if other circumstances do not prevent this (you need to rush to catch the bus, go to pick up the children at school), will definitely listen to the end. And he will even give advice if needed. To become just such an empath, learn to listen and develop patience and understanding that the other person is no less important. After all, it is not always good to indulge your own selfishness.

This may also seem difficult, but this is only at the beginning. Then you will be sucked in!

Read works of fiction

Fiction books are filled with the experiences of the characters. D'Artagnan sobs at the body of the deceased Constance. The royal general Richard, the hero of Daphne du Maurier's book, is angry at the nobles who did not support his plan to liberate Cornwall. Young Elizabeth feels deeply unhappy that Mr. Darcy did not appreciate the beauty of her sisters. The more works like this you read, the better empath you will become. The main thing is to choose the right books, whose characters really make you want to empathize with them. It will not be possible to develop your feelings with the help of a work that fails to interest you.

This is probably the simplest thing.

Communicate in stressful situations

Many introverts avoid any stressful situations. They run away from crying people and never rush to be the first to console a child who has broken his knee. The next time you want to act in the same way again, overcome yourself and stay where you are. Perhaps you will be able to go further and even communicate with a person who is not experiencing the most positive emotions.

Interestingly, low-level empaths also run away from positive feelings. Therefore, if a friend invited you to a party, and your work colleagues are throwing a party, it is necessary and important for you to go there.

And this moment is the most important!

Types of empathy

The feeling of empathy is not considered something supernatural. This is a common human characteristic that manifests itself in varying intensity in everyone. True, you won’t find it at all with some, but fortunately there are few of them. Sometimes the state of empathy is attributed to extrasensory abilities, but this is also a mistake.

So, what types of this condition are there:

Emotional empathy for another person is when you are able to experience the same feelings as the person next to you. By the way, surprisingly, it manifests itself even at an unconscious age - when one child cries, the second one joins in too!
Cognitive is the ability to put yourself in another person’s place. Such empathy makes it possible to understand how your neighbor feels. For example, in a situation with a pillar, we can imagine that there is a feeling of helplessness, guilt, doom, sadness, etc. Here the intellect comes in, emotions are left behind.
Empathic care is the ability to care for other people, to help them, to be there in action.
Predicative – when a person can predict the strong emotional states of another in specific situations.

And one more interesting point - it turns out that all sorts of maniacs and criminals against people also have empathy!

Can you tell me how this can be? A study was conducted that determined that the level of aggression is not associated with a lack of empathy. If a person is aggressive, this does not mean a lack of empathy, but it means that the person does not know how to control his emotions! And here is the time to remember the importance of emotional intelligence for each of us.

Tips if you are an empath

If you are already an empath, then it is important for you to remember the following simple rules that will make your life much easier:

Loneliness is not always a bad thing; devoting all your free time to other people will burn you out and even drive you crazy;
The emotions that overwhelm you can be expressed in dance, drawing, song;
Dream! Sometimes it’s useful to dream, even if it’s about the impossible;
Don't limit yourself to important things. This will lead you to depression;
It is impossible to always do only what is interesting. But since it is interest that fuels your desire to complete a particular task, before you start work, understand why a particular task is interesting.
Communicate more with animals. Go for a walk in the park or forest. This will help you cope with the burden of emotions.

Stick to the rules and you will feel better!

Who to turn to if empathy is difficult to live with

Empaths are frequent guests in the office of a psychologist or psychotherapist. They are often thrown out of their usual rut by the weight of guilt for not being able to help someone. Depression and nervous disorders of various levels invariably visit those who are too carried away by other people's emotions.

It is important to contact a specialist in time who can teach you how to cope with overwhelming feelings. He will convince you that it is impossible to empathize with everyone with the same degree of depth. That you shouldn't be too upset that the main character of the book didn't get what he wanted. And the neighbor got into trouble.

Don't be afraid to consult a psychologist!

Why is it difficult for an empath to find a partner?

Some empaths have a hard time finding a partner. This is related to:

A reverent attitude towards personal space. People who are overloaded with other people's emotions sometimes need a break from everyone, including their partner. Not everyone agrees to treat a life partner with respect and understanding who periodically disappears for several hours. Goes for a walk alone or locks himself in his own room.
Excessive vulnerability of empaths. They always think before they say something and expect the same thoughtful attitude from you.
Empaths do not accept superficial feelings; they need to give themselves completely.
You need to believe in an empath and constantly support him. Criticism is poorly received.

If an overly sensitive nature does not want to receive guests, go to a friend’s house, or generally communicate with anyone, you should not force it. An empath can easily become the life of the party, but only if he wants it himself. He certainly needs communication. But not imposed from the outside. Also, lying is never a good foundation for a relationship. And in relation to empaths, it is also dangerous, since such people definitely will not tolerate liars. Conflict cannot be avoided.

What is intercultural empathy

This concept means the ability to understand people who differ in nationality, mentality, age and other parameters. The level of cultural empathy depends on many factors. Some researchers believe that even a person’s gender influences it.

As John Green said, “The only way out is to imagine yourself becoming someone else.” Intercultural empathy helps in socialization and allows you to get used to the changing world around you.

This concept is used in the study of various aspects of society, including negative ones, such as racism.

How to Deal with an Empath

Knowing that a friend or girlfriend is a strong empath, you can build a relationship in such a way that there will be almost no controversial issues or omissions in them.

Empaths are always ready to help you!

He needs personal time

If you invite a friend for a walk, and she refuses, don’t be offended. She's just tired of talking. Not specifically from you, but from communication in general. This makes her seek solitude. For example, ignore phone calls and any calls for dialogue from friends and acquaintances.

And this is very important for him!

An empath is not your personal psychologist

An empath should not be used as a crying pillow on a regular basis. Over time, he will simply get tired and move away. Despite the fact that by nature such people are excellent psychologists, it is wrong to abuse their attention. And think about whether this friendship is real at all. If you just need someone to listen to you. Remember that an empath has feelings and emotions too. And he also wants to talk about them.

Empaths are touchy, although they don’t show it. Harsh words and quarrels take them out of balance for a long time. They force you to experience the same unpleasant situation over and over again.

You don't always have to tell him about your problems!

You must believe in him

If an empath is believed in, he can move mountains. Mistrust kills any initiative in him. Makes you worry about your own importance and your abilities. Such experiences have a negative impact on work and relationships with others, and a person can withdraw into himself.

In fact, you need to believe in any person. However, this is especially important for people with empathy!

Free expression of emotions

Empaths are good at reading emotions, so you shouldn’t hide your feelings from them. They will find out about them and will be offended by the attempt to withhold information.

An empath will easily understand if you, for example, flatter him.

Don't lie to an empath

Lying is also useless; the empath himself can pretend to believe the lie. Especially if it happens in public. But later there will be a scandal.

The phrase “Better the bitter truth than a sweet lie” fits here more than ever.

How is empathy different from sympathy?

Empathy and sympathy are close concepts. They are based on a feeling of compassion and the possibility of sharing his experiences with someone. But empathy is at the same time something more, since it involves expressing compassion to any living being. Whereas we sympathize with only a few.

Case in point. Differences between sympathy and empathy.

Liking is not about expressing a common point of view and common emotions. It's personal. It has little to do with experience and requires no effort. After all, everyone knows how to sympathize with people. So, we sympathize with a divorced father who is trying to achieve regular meetings with his children. Single mother who lost her job. Even the neighbor's son, who failed the exam. But if we've never been divorced, lost a job, or failed a test, then it will be difficult for us to experience empathy. The exception is if the empath has already encountered similar cases. Even in the books, he knows how to act and therefore can show both sympathy and empathy at the same time.

What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?

Both concepts are associated with empathy for other people and a friendly attitude towards them. But there is also a significant difference between them.

Sympathy is a positive assessment of another person, which can evoke pity, a desire to provide support, give advice, and help. At the same time, everyone remains in their place and looks at emotions and experiences from the outside. In this case, there is a search for parallels in states and life situations, but there is no substitution of roles. A person analyzes his own feelings, assuming that they are identical to others.

Empaths are not just bystanders. They pass other people's emotions through themselves and experience the situation together with the other person. It's a feeling of being more involved.

The difference between epmatia and sympathy is explained in interesting and simple language in the video: