Am I an Empath?

While it can be fun to get an intuitive ‘hit’ every now and then, one form of psychic ability that is not always pleasant is that of the empath. Empaths are those that literally feel what others are feeling. They don’t have visions or ‘just know’ things; they feel as if they are actually experiencing what another person is experiencing. Now that can be fun if the person in question is happy, excited or joyous. But if the person is experiencing tough and heavy emotions, being an empath can come with a heavy burden.

Complicating things even further is the fact that empaths often have a difficult time discerning their own emotions from those of a loved one. An empath may suddenly feel sad or depressed, or he or she may be hit with a dose of anxiety and have no idea where it came from. Empaths may also be more vulnerable to psychic attack. However, that sadness, depression and anxiety could be the feelings of a loved one rather than the empath’s feelings at all.

So are you an empath? Consider the following questions:

• Do you feel drained or overwhelmed by large crowds of people?
• Do you often know that a friend or family member is upset about something before they tell you?
• Do people feel drawn to tell you intimate details of their lives?
• Have you ever had a stomach ache or pain in a part of the body, only to find that a loved one has a sickness or illness in that same part of the body?
• Do you need regular time alone to recharge, particularly after spending time with a large number of people?
• Do people accuse you of being moody or unpredictable?
• Do you often cry for seemingly no reason at all?
• Do your moods seem to change with your environment? For example, are you feeling fine when you enter a room with others only to feel sad, depressed or anxious after spending time in that new environment?

If you said yes to many of these statements, chances are you are an empath. While some challenges come with that reality, note that your empathy is your personal psychic pathway that you can build upon.

If you are an empath, here are four ways to get some relief. 

There are also other resources you can explore.

In Whose Stuff Is This?: Finding Freedom from the Negative Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You, Yvonne Perry sheds light on what it is to be an empath, and notes that many entered this lifetime with the intention to bring healing to others.  However, empaths often find it challenging to cope with their extreme sensitivity to the environment around them, which in many cases keeps them from living their purpose. Perry provides exercises and information that will help empaths to get out of their own way and better cope with their gifts so that they can bring happiness to the world — and to themselves.