8 Everyday Struggles Only People Who’ve Been Described As ‘Empaths’ Can Relate To

Emapths are doctors in a sense: they have deep insights about other people and what their ailments are; they know what’s bothering people at their core and they may also have the prescription to cure them.

By

Catherine Chea

Empaths are highly sensitive individuals who have an innate ability to intuitively feel and perceive other people’s energies and emotions. They can peel away the public façade that people display and reveal their innermost feelings, which gives empaths a strong capacity to heal emotional wounds. However, often times, they encounter troubles that are associated with their highly intuitive and sensitive nature. Here’s a list of some challenges, based on my experiences as an empath, that other empaths may also likely encounter.


1. Being able to see the solution to people’s problems that they themselves can’t see.

Emapths are doctors in a sense: they have deep insights about other people and what their ailments are; they know what’s bothering people at their core and they may also have the prescription to cure them. Others may be unable to see themselves through the same lens and so are un-open to accepting the empaths’ help and wisdom, which may leave empaths feeling cast down and isolated.

2. Entering an unhealthy relationship in hopes of saving the other person.

Empaths may find themselves gravitating towards people who they see “needs fixing.” They may commit to a relationship in order to save their partner even though they know that it’s not their ideal relationship—but they think the good that may come out of it is worth all the trouble.

3. Feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions.

Due to empaths’ high sensitivity, negative emotions can be overwhelming. Hearing sad stories from the news, experiencing conflict and other upsetting situations can ellicit very strong and painful emotions.

4. Being an emotional dumping ground for others.

People are comfortable sharing their intimate problems with empaths, as empaths have an aura of understanding and trust. However, empaths can only do this in moderation as they may find themselves worn out from carrying too much of other people’s emotional baggage.

5. Experiencing hurt in an unmutual relationship.

Empaths may also feel disappointed and alone in their relationships if they’re one-sided. They can become very absorbed by another person’s world and care a great deal about them only to discover that the reverse doesn’t always happen.

6. Spreading yourself too thin when trying to save the world.

Empaths are also idealists who want to make the world to be a better place. They may find themselves burning out from all their endeavours when it comes to trying to save others.

7. Second guessing yourself and being quick to accept blame.

Empaths can also be very hard on themselves because they feel accountable and responsible for many things that are beyond their control, including other people’s happiness.

8. Not saving yourself first.

Emapths may hesitate to save themselves first because they think that doing so is selfish, which is not the case. If you’re an empath, know how important it is to take care of yourself first in order to be able to help others. Sometimes there is only so much you can do for others; you might even be doing everyone a disservice by stepping over boundaries. In order to truly help others, show them how they can help themselves by setting a good example.

So save yourself the trouble and learn where to draw the line. Realize that you can’t save people and can only love them. Taking care of yourself and simply listening to people is more than enough to make a positive difference in this world. Thought Catalog Logo Mark