Why do Highly Sensitive Empath feel too much energy?

Highly sensitive empaths are not only empathetic but also highly sensitive to their own emotions and the emotional nuances of people around them.

This sensitivity can manifest in various ways, including a deep appreciation for beauty, a strong sensitivity to external stimuli, and a profound love for deep emotional connection.

This article explores the concept of Highly Sensitive Empaths, possessing an innate capability to see the good in bad situations and to feel life to its fullest extent. 

Who is an Empath?

An empath possesses the unique ability to understand and share feelings with others. 

They are highly sensitive to the emotional states of those around them, often feeling as if they are experiencing those emotions themselves. It can be a powerful tool for understanding and connecting with others, but it can also be overwhelming in times of overthinking.

An empath often have the following characteristics:

• Highly Sensitive to Emotions: 
• Empathetic Listening: 
• Deep Empathy for Other People: 
• Intuitive Understanding: 

The difference between Empathy and Sympathy:

While empathy and sympathy are often used together, there is a significant difference between the two:

• Empathy: Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes and feel what they are feeling.
• Sympathy: Sympathy, on the other hand, is the feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else’s misfortune. 

The role of Sensitivity in Empathy

When individuals are highly sensitive, they are more attuned to subtle cues, both verbal and non-verbal, that convey emotions.

It allows them to pick up on nuances in tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions, enabling them to accurately interpret the feelings of others.

The Challenges of Being a Highly Sensitive Empath

Overstimulation and sensory overload

Empaths are highly attuned to their surroundings, which means they can easily become overwhelmed by too much stimulation. This can include loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, and crowded spaces.

Emotional exhaustion and burnout

Empaths often take on the emotional burden of others, feeling as if they are experiencing those emotions themselves, possibly leading to emotional exhaustion and burnout.

Relationships and boundaries

They may find themselves giving too much of themselves without receiving the support they need in return.

Adopting emotional burden of others, feeling responsible for the happiness and well-being of those around them, is difficult. 

The impact of negativity and toxic environments

Feeling overwhelmed and drained in environments where there is a lot of negativity or emotional distress is common for a Highly Sensitive Empath.

The Strengths of Highly Sensitive Empath:

1. Intuition and Emotional Intelligence:

Intuition is often described as the ability to know or understand something without any conscious reasoning or proof.

It can manifest in various ways, such as:

• Reading people: Being able to understand someone’s feelings, thoughts, or intentions without them being explicitly expressed.
• Predicting outcomes: Having a strong sense of how a situation might unfold or what the outcome might be, even if there’s no logical reason to expect this.
• Making quick, accurate decisions: Relying on a “gut feeling” to make decisions that turn out to be correct, even when there’s no obvious rationale.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict. 

For individuals with enhanced EI, this means they are:

• Aware of their own emotions: They can recognize their feelings and how they affect their thoughts and behavior.
• Awareness of others’ emotions: They can understand other people’s emotions and how they may affect the situation.
• Manage their emotions: They can use their feelings to make good decisions, manage their behavior, and deal effectively with stress.

2. Deep understanding of others:

Highly sensitive Empaths’ own experiences have equipped them to use their prior knowledge to “feel” on a deeper level, which allows them to relate to others’ struggles and emotions. 

This deep empathy enables them to access and understand the complex emotions and perspectives of others, even those that might be hidden or difficult to express.

3. The ability to have deep, meaningful connections

The ability to have meaningful conversations is a valuable skill that gives meaning to social interactions and develops deeper connections between individuals. 

This ability is particularly common in empaths, as their unique combination of emotional intelligence, intuition, and sensitivity enables them to engage in conversations.

Understanding the Other’s Perspective

Empaths have a natural ability to understand and appreciate the perspective of others. They can intuitively sense and resonate with the emotions and feelings of the person they are conversing with. 

This allows them to steer conversations towards topics that are genuinely interesting and relevant to the other person, ensuring that the conversation is not only meaningful to them but also enjoyable and fulfilling.

Emotional Investment in Conversations

Empaths are also able to infuse conversations with a high level of emotional depth. They are not just exchanging information but are genuinely invested in the emotional well-being and satisfaction of both parties. 

This emotional investment makes conversations more engaging and satisfying, as it creates a sense of mutual understanding, respect, and care.

Striking a Balance

They share their thoughts and feelings in a way that complements the flow of the conversation, ensuring that the exchange remains balanced and respectful. 

This balance is crucial for maintaining the depth and quality of the conversation, as it allows both parties to contribute equally and feel valued.

Creating a Safe Space

Empaths create a safe and supportive environment for meaningful conversations. 

Their ability to listen deeply and respond with empathy creates a space where vulnerability and honesty are encouraged. 

How to use your Empathic Abilities to your Advantage:

Here are some strategies to help you use your empathic abilities to your advantage:

1. Understand Your Empathic Strengths

Take the time to understand your empathic abilities. Reflect on situations where you’ve used your empathy effectively and identify the specific skills you employed. 

Seeing the positive side can help you embrace your nature, and not repress it which can show effect in other disastrous ways.

2. Set Boundaries

It’s important to set clear boundaries to protect your emotional well-being.

Learn to recognize when you’re absorbing too much and take steps to protect yourself, such as practicing self-care or taking a break from social interactions.

3. Invest Your Emotions in Favourite Activities

Since highly sensitive empaths can feel and value emotions a little more, you can use this to your advantage by investing your emotions into activities you enjoy. 

It can act as an outlet to release your suppressed emotions and help you excel in these activities and find fulfillment in your pursuits.

4. Use Your Intuition

Trust your intuition when making decisions. Your empathic abilities can provide valuable insights that may not be immediately apparent. Pay attention to your gut feelings and use them to guide your decisions.

5. Practice Self-Care

Practice self-care to prevent burnout and maintain your emotional well-being, with activities such as meditation, or spending time in nature.

6. Stay Present

Stay present in the moment and focus on the emotions and feelings of the people you’re interacting with. This can help you understand them better and form deeper connections.

Final Thoughts:

In conclusion, being a highly sensitive empath is both a challenge and a gift. Despite facing significant obstacles such as overstimulation, emotional exhaustion, and difficulty in establishing boundaries, they possess unique strengths that allow them to deeply connect with others and navigate the complexities of human emotion. 

So, to all the highly sensitive empaths out there, remember that your sensitivity is not a weakness but a superpower, and with the right tools and support, you can use it to create a life filled with purpose, connection, and fulfillment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. Can you be an empath and a highly sensitive person?
   Yes, it’s possible to be both an empath and a highly sensitive person (HSP). While the terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to slightly different aspects of sensitivity. Empaths are individuals who are highly attuned to the emotions and energy of others, often experiencing them as their own. On the other hand, HSPs are people who have a heightened sensitivity to external stimuli, such as sounds, lights, or textures, as well as emotional stimuli. Therefore, someone can possess both empathic abilities and heightened sensitivity to stimuli, making them an empath and an HSP.
2. Are highly sensitive people more emotionally intelligent?
   While heightened sensitivity can contribute to emotional intelligence, it’s not necessarily the sole factor. Highly sensitive people (HSPs) often possess a deep awareness and understanding of emotions, both in themselves and others, which can enhance their emotional intelligence. However, emotional intelligence also involves skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills, which can be developed independently of sensitivity levels. 
3. Why do empaths cry easily?
   Empaths cry easily because they absorb and internalize the emotions of others, often experiencing them as their own. When exposed to intense emotional energy or distressing situations, empaths may feel overwhelmed by the influx of emotions, leading to tears as a natural response. Additionally, empaths may cry as a means of releasing pent-up emotional energy or as a form of empathetic response to others’ suffering.
4. What is the difference between a compassionate empath and a highly sensitive empath?
   While both compassionate empaths and highly sensitive empaths share traits of empathy and sensitivity, there are some distinctions between them. A compassionate empath is someone who not only feels deeply attuned to the emotions of others but also actively seeks to try to alleviate suffering and offer support and understanding. They are deeply empathetic and often prioritize helping others in need. On the other hand, a highly sensitive empath primarily refers to someone who experiences heightened sensitivity to external stimuli, including emotional stimuli. While they may also possess empathic abilities, their sensitivity extends beyond emotions to encompass sensory experiences such as sounds, lights, or textures. 

References:

1. Aron, E. N. (2002). The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You. Harmony.
2. Bar-On, R. (2006). The Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence (ESI). Psicothema, 18, 13-25.
3. Bar-On, R., & Parker, J. D. A. (2000). Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV). Multi-Health Systems.
4. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.
5. Hutchinson, L. E., Johnson, M. H., & Rohowsky-Kochan, C. (2016). Empathy and Its Role in Social Cognition in Atypical Population. In Handbook of Social Cognition (pp. 329-346). Sage Publications.
6. Orloff, J. (2010). Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life. Harmony.
7. Orloff, J. (2012). Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life (Reprint Edition). Harmony.
8. Tartakovsky, M. (2015). 9 Strategies for Empaths to Help Prevent Burnout. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/blog/9-strategies-for-empaths-to-help-prevent-burnout/
9. Webster, J. D. (2007). The Domain Specificity of Emotional Intelligence: A Comparative Analysis of Emotional Intelligence Measures. University of Nebraska Press.
10. Wilson, R. C. (2009). Emotional Intelligence: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing.

Mental Health Help:

National Helplines:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Online Resources:

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): https://www.nami.org
• MentalHealth.gov: https://www.mentalhealth.gov

Local Resources

When looking for mental health support, it’s often best to start locally. Many communities have mental health clinics, hospitals, and community centres that offer counselling and therapy services. You can find these services by searching online directories, like Psychology Today’s Therapist Finder, which allows you to filter results by location, specialty, and insurance coverage. Additionally, your primary care doctor can be a valuable resource, as they can refer you to local mental health professionals or services that meet your needs.

How to Find Help

Finding the right mental health help can be overwhelming, but there are several ways to simplify the process:

1. Online Directories: Websites like Psychology Today, GoodTherapy, and Therapist Finder offer comprehensive directories of mental health professionals. These platforms let you search by location, issues treated, and insurance acceptance.
2. Health Insurance Providers: Your health insurance provider can give you a list of covered mental health services and providers, ensuring you receive care within your network.
3. Healthcare Providers: Don’t hesitate to speak with your primary care physician or a general practitioner. They can provide referrals to trusted mental health professionals or guide you on how to access the services you need.