advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Hezekiah
New Member
Hezekiah has no updates.
 
Member Since: Apr 2021
Location: California
Posts: 4
2 yr Member
Default Apr 21, 2021 at 08:19 PM
  #1
I suspect many of us participating in these forums suffer an empathy deficit. Like an emergency room doctor suffering compassion fatigue, those of us who struggle to empathize have lost the ability due to trauma. Many of us began to associate empathy with injury during our formative years. I can still remember a time, as a small child, when I was filled with emotion and communion with humankind. I remember when I would cry during movies. When I deeply cared. But now as I slip away into the depths of time I am beginning to forget. Please help me remember what it is like to care. Life cares. Caring is what it means to be alive. Death has no care.

Grace and peace,

Hezekiah

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hezekiah is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
mote.of.soul

advertisement
MsLady
Poohbah
MsLady has no updates.
 
Member Since: Mar 2020
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,143
3 yr Member
360 hugs
given
Default Apr 22, 2021 at 08:30 PM
  #2
"Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place. ... When you see another person suffering, you might be able to instantly envision yourself in the other person's place and feel sympathy for what they are going through."

The answer to this question would vary on circumstances.
MsLady is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
mote.of.soul, RoxanneToto
mote.of.soul
Mad Walker
 
mote.of.soul's Avatar
mote.of.soul Act not the goat
 
Member Since: Jan 2018
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 13,034 (SuperPoster!)
5 yr Member
21.9k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Apr 23, 2021 at 05:20 AM
  #3
When I empathise with people I basically feel sorry for them that life has struck them a cruel blow. Everyone suffers and all wish to be happy. Even the animals.

__________________
"A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."- Dōgen
mote.of.soul is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
RoxanneToto
Grand Poohbah
RoxanneToto has no updates.
 
Member Since: Aug 2020
Location: England
Posts: 1,692
3 yr Member
6,991 hugs
given
Default Apr 23, 2021 at 07:11 AM
  #4
I hope I don’t come across as fake when I’m empathetic. I struggle to see things from other people’s POV sometimes, but I try to be kind/helpful.
RoxanneToto is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
mote.of.soul
*Beth*
catches the flowers
*Beth* is practicing healthy breathing for brain, mind, body, spirit.
 
Member Since: Jul 2019
Location: Downtown Vibes, California
Posts: 15,701 (SuperPoster!)
3 yr Member
23.7k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Apr 23, 2021 at 08:17 PM
  #5
I survived (so far) an abusive childhood; I believe trauma made me more empathetic, not less. What passes through my mind when I empathize is the sensation that I'm, or my energy is, temporarily inside the other person's body or space. As if I'm feeling exactly how they feel, as they feel it. At my age (58) I'm having to learn how to set firm boundaries so I can take care of myself and not get lost in the other's pain, which has caused problems for me at times in my life.


As for people I meet online (such as on this forum), empathizing is a little more difficult because of the obvious limitations of being online, but I still empathize with others here. I couldn't be here otherwise.

__________________




*Beth* is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
mote.of.soul, RoxanneToto
 
Thanks for this!
RoxanneToto
mote.of.soul
Mad Walker
 
mote.of.soul's Avatar
mote.of.soul Act not the goat
 
Member Since: Jan 2018
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 13,034 (SuperPoster!)
5 yr Member
21.9k hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Apr 25, 2021 at 02:35 AM
  #6
Another thing about being able to empathise with people's struggles is that you can also empathise with their happiness and joyous times as well. I think I'm quite empathetic and hearing a child or a baby laughing is one of the happiest sounds to me, but hearing them crying - and I may not even be able to see or know the child/baby - can nearly bring me to tears. Poor little souls.

__________________
"A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."- Dōgen
mote.of.soul is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Hugs from:
*Beth*, RoxanneToto
 
Thanks for this!
*Beth*
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:37 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.