why.....: Empathy: the action of... - Anxiety and Depre...

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why.....

mizzou7016 profile image
18 Replies

Empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.

Why does this sometimes hurt so much....having empathy....Is it wrong to wish to want it turned off occasionally....does empathy make someone a bad person

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mizzou7016 profile image
mizzou7016
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18 Replies

your good soul. People should be glad to meet you

Shnookie profile image
Shnookie

I don’t think empathy makes you a bad person. Rather empathy can be draining at times. I know this out of experience.

mizzou7016 profile image
mizzou7016 in reply to Shnookie

sometimes when i am feeling empathy at work it is a double edge sword. I feel guilty having empathy at work sometimes

Shnookie profile image
Shnookie in reply to mizzou7016

I don’t feel guilty having empathy at work. Many times, the residents of the senior living facility where I work like the fact that I understand what they R going thru.

mizzou7016 profile image
mizzou7016 in reply to Shnookie

I work in a maximum security prison....it's hard to just turn off emotions...

in reply to mizzou7016

You have to be strict and disciplined and at distance physically and emotionally?

mizzou7016 profile image
mizzou7016 in reply to

I've been in this field for 26 years...i do well at keeping the physical distance and the discipline....emotions are another story all together....Dont always do good at masking my emotions....some of the individuals I'm dealing with I've dealt with from the beginning...they've watched me grow both professionally and personally...sometimes my empathy gets mistaken...this enviornment is crazy like that

Have you thought about another job like social worker or something?

mizzou7016 profile image
mizzou7016 in reply to

just trying to get through the next 10 months....so i can move on to something else....just been a rough weekend.....luckily i've got a 3 day weekend that starts at 7pm tonight...

in reply to mizzou7016

You will do well because of who you are - stay positive and patient

fauxartist profile image
fauxartist

I believe your are a good or bad person by our actions, but having empathy is a gift.

CLB1125 profile image
CLB1125

empathy does not make you a bad person. It makes you an extraordinary person . It is very draining and makes me very anxious.

secrets22 profile image
secrets22

Being an empath does not make you a bad person, quite the reverse in fact, the only thing it does do is make us take on the deep feelings of others, much to our detriment, we hurt far more than most.

kbrauer profile image
kbrauer

Good morning,

Empathy and Compassion are closely related to each other.

Compassion: Is being there for, a listening ear, a comforter...

Empathy: A take action on the compassion. ( One step more!)

No absolutely not, Empathy does not make you a bad person! It is good to have empathy. This old world needs more people who have empathy, like you. :)

People who are very compassionate and empathetic are more in tune to the situation at hand and have a more sensitive nature about them. Thus it brings forth more hurt feelings to the one who is trying to help out with empathy when things turn out sour.

God bless you! :)

mindys253 profile image
mindys253

You are a good person!!! I am happy to meet you!! Best, mindy

When i was diagnosed my therapist asked, "don't you know Craig this world is made up of givers and takers." I responded, "I guess not, but I do now". To me the takers don't have the empathy and compassion that the givers have. If there was a choice I pick giver, but since i was made more aware, I've been more careful ever since of who I give repeated empathy to. Lest they use it against me.

CLB1125 profile image
CLB1125

i am a giver, always have been. It hurts like hell when I get used over and over but that’s who I am. I’ve tried being stopping it but it’s not in my nature. So I embrace it. I am happy in the fact I’m doing it for myself more than for them.

Trainchaser profile image
Trainchaser

Empathy does not make you a bad person but a supportive one. Sometimes being empathetic is more difficult than other times

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