Do you know an empath?

By Cheryl Tate

Some people refer to empaths as “highly sensitive people”, but they are much more than that. Empaths are tuned in to the feelings of others and can even absorb the emotions or energy of others. They tend to feel overwhelmed and drained when around many people. There are about 15 to 20 percent* of empaths in the world population, we can use more of them. 

Empaths often attract people who “dump” their problems into their space because they make people feel connected and heard. Empaths also have “gut” feelings and a strong intuitive ability (that can be scary for some who are not sure what to make of it). Being an empath can also result in feeling depressed, anxious, or emotionally exhausted. For them to function effectively, they have to be alone sometimes to shake off the emotions they’ve encountered. Empathy helps people share experiences, needs, and desires, which, in turn, can help build relationships.

The main benefit of being an empath is having the ability to promote a more harmonious community, especially in interpersonal relationships, such as within family and friendship circles. Empathy also helps maintain social bonds, which, in turn, helps reduce loneliness and other emotions or states of being that may have adverse health effects. People with high empathy may be more likely to maintain these bonds, as they are more capable of feeling, understanding, and wanting to help people who are experiencing difficulties. By helping other people, an empath might feel happier than if they did not help that person.

Being an empath can be a beautiful gift; yet it may seem like the quickest way to emotional burnout if you do not have effective coping skills and are not in tune with yourself. Empathy is an important trait. Highly sensitive people, or empaths, are more likely to feel, recognize, and mirror another person’s emotions or movements. In the current situation, with coronavirus, anxiety, and racial tensions, we could use sensitive people to help heal our societal wounds. It will not a take a mass movement to help us along, just a group of empaths.

*Dr. Elaine Aron from the Foundation for the Study of Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP’s) estimates that 15-20 percent of earth’s population is Highly Sensitive. There is no official documented consensus on how many HSP’s are empaths, but empaths don’t need external evidence to prove something, they feel it.