Emotionally healthy people can have a high degree of real empathy; empaths on the other hand often have weak emotional boundaries . In many situations they project their own emotions onto others, believing they are taking on someone elseโs emotions .
It is interesting that many of the questions listed above to identify an empath .. are in fact maladaptive responses to stress or being overwhelmed by sensory stimuli . There is a theory that a traumatic event , especially those in childhood such as abuse, neglect , loss of a loved one , etc can trigger excessive emotional responses later in adult life . I believe events in adult life can also be a trigger for exaggerated over-sensitivity and negative coping (often a protective , self preservation mechanism ).
If you think of emotions as a spectrum ...,at one end of the spectrum is an empath ..the other a narcissist (who lacks empathy ) ... both states can be toxic and unhealthy . Perception combined with lived experience determine whether emotional over sensitivity is a gift or a psychological burden . Emotional balance is important not just for health but relationships too .
You make it sound like a disease, which it is not.
Dr Judith Orloff, psychiatrist, is also an empath.
Being an empath has nothing to do with negative coping, poor boundaries, projecting, exaggerated oversensitivy etc.
It's not on the scale with narcissism either, which is a personality disorder and I guess could be called a mental health issue.
I think on the other end of the scale would be someone with serious & chronic, lasting depression(s).
From Dr Orloff:
I feel passionately that empathy is the medicine the world needs right now. Empathy will be the deciding factor between war and peace, between hatred and tolerance. Empathy is the game changer. It is the trait that will ultimately save the world. There is a powerful connection between your emotions, intuition, and empathy. The magic comes when you learn how to tap into each of them to fully access your sensitivities without going on overload or becoming drained.
And she also addressed this in one of her readings/workshops:
Why are empaths misdiagnosed with sensory processing disorder, major depression, and panic attacks? What is the correct diagnosis?
I actually wonder how much it is related to the normal feminine principle & energy that is returning to us after some 5000-6000 yrs.
It is normal and very healthy for women to be in their natural state, which is to have inner strength (on the inside) so they can be open and vulnerable on the outside.
That way we can let our intuition do our work, have our antennae out, which helps us to know, sense, feel, whether a situation or person serves us or not.
That is feminine power!
Empathy is part of that, and also has a lot to do with oxytocin, which is a very important hormone, again especially for women. We need that to feel good, strong, relaxed, and so on.
I think this is also why she says that empathy and empaths are what the world needs not thrive and survive, to become healthy.
And as it is we are having an influx of feminine energy, the return of the Divine Feminine, which is return to love, oneness, togetherness, caring, and so on. The Age of Aquarius.