Empath vs. empatheticwhich one are you?
Experts explain the difference between being empathetic, sympathetic, and being a true empath.
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(Just look at the 600K+ posts tagged with#empath on TikTok.)
What you might not know is that the word got its start in sci-fi.
While its human nature to empathize with others, there are different level of empathy that affect different people.
Israa Nasir is the founder of Well.Guide, a mental health platform focused on transforming the way we talk about mental health, taking it from a place of shame to a place of empowerment. As a psychotherapist, mental health coach, and educator, Israa curates meaningful experiences through one-on-one emotional coaching, wellness workshops, and speaking engagements to further amplify the message of awareness and acceptance. Israa holds a M.A in Mental Health Counseling from The Derner Institute, NY.
This raises the questions: Empath vs. empatheticwhats the difference?
Israa holds a M.A in Mental Health Counseling from The Derner Institute, NY.
How do you know where you fall?
If youre wondering whether youre an empath vs. empathetic, heres a helpful breakdown, according to experts.
What does it mean to be an empath?
For example, say your partner is studying for a big test, and feeling anxious and stressed out.
Empath isnt a medical diagnosis nor an official psychological term used in clinical research.
So, how do you know if youre an empath?
Signs of being an empath
How rare are true empaths?
Israa Nasir is the founder of Well.Guide, a mental health platform focused on transforming the way we talk about mental health, taking it from a place of shame to a place of empowerment. As a psychotherapist, mental health coach, and educator, Israa curates meaningful experiences through one-on-one emotional coaching, wellness workshops, and speaking engagements to further amplify the message of awareness and acceptance. Israa holds a M.A in Mental Health Counseling from The Derner Institute, NY.
Being an empath is very rare, Nasir says.
What is a dark empath?
Do empaths have more anxiety?
A 2019 study published inFrontiers in Human Neuroscience7found that empathy may result in more general anxiety in social encounters.
Empathic vs. empathetic
This one is tricky.
It involves recognizing someone elses emotional state and responding with care and compassion.
An empath, however, experiences the actual emotions of others very intensely and often involuntarily, Nasir continues.
The key difference is a matter of understanding vs. feeling, Soun says.
Someone who is empathetic has the capacity to understand what another person may be feeling, she says.
Empathetic vs. sympathetic
Empathetic and sympathetic are close in meaning, but not interchangeable.
Where does empathy come from?
Scientists believemirror neurons2are one of the neurological mechanisms behind empathy.
Researchers attribute our capacity for empathy to these mirror neurons, she continues.
In the case of empaths, one possible explanation is that they may possess particularly hyperactive mirror neurons.
What makes a person an empath?
But becoming an empath isnt always a result of negative experiences oremotional trauma.
Is empathy a skill?
Part of building empathy as a skill is also learning when to use it.
Thats why we naturally tend to be selective about who we feel empathy for and when.
How do I develop my ability to empathize?
Were quick to jump to assumptions or judgments about other people, instead of seeking to understand.
The consequence of this perspective is that many of us have a low tolerance for difficult emotions.
Another essential ingredient for empathy is curiosity, Soun says.
So if youd like to develop more empathy, choose curiosity over judgment.
Is being an empath good or bad?
Being an empath isnt inherently good or badit comes with upsides and downsides.
Herrando, C., & Constantinides, E. (2021).
A., Hadjiandreou, E., & Inzlicht, M. (2019, April 18).
Empathy Is Hard Work: People Choose to Avoid Empathy Because of Its Cognitive Costs.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Can Empathy Help Individuals and Society?
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