Alex O'Brien
Mind

Top traits of empathic people

An empath is a highly sensitive person who takes on other people’s emotions. They can have strong emotions and feelings in stressful situations, and may even experience depression or panic attacks. They may find themselves succumbing to binges (food, sex, alcohol), or experiencing chronic fatigue.

Being an empath doesn’t have to mean that you live your life feeling completely overwhelmed. There are ways that empaths can learn to acknowledge their feelings in order to become emotionally free.

See if you identify with some of these traits.

High sensitivity

They are good listeners who are open to the feelings of others. They will nurture, guide and advise people going through a hard time. However, this can cause them to feel too much, and they might even be labelled as someone who is too sensitive.

In tune with other’s emotions

Empaths tend to absorb other people’s emotions, whether they are good or bad. They need to be in a calm and relaxed environment to avoid feeling permanently stressed and anxious. 

Introverts

Don’t put an empath in a large group of people if you want them to feel relaxed. They do prefer smaller groups, ideally one on one so that they can focus. If they do have to attend a large function or event they may decide to limit their time there in order to keep their emotions in check.

Need their own space

In order to recharge, empaths need to spend time on their own regularly. Being around people constantly is physically and emotionally draining for them. They dislike things like group travel where they aren’t able to get up and go as they like.

Can struggle with intimacy

Many empaths can find intimate relationships difficult to sustain, as they can get overwhelmed with the emotion involved. They may need to discuss ideas for their own relationship where they change the traditional roles in order to make them more comfortable.

Nature sustains them

Being within a natural environment can help an empath to recharge.

Things like the roaring ocean, or a quiet field, can give them time to reflect and lower the amount of emotion that they take on.

If you are an empath you can seek to keep your sensitivity under control by taking charge of how you spend your time (and who with), meditating, and spending time outdoors in nature. Remember to speak to other people about how you feel so that you can protect yourself from unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Are you an empath? How do you cope with the stresses of everyday living? We would love to hear from you in the comments.

Related links:

Why we dwell on the negative and how to stop

The secret to quieting a frazzled mind

5 wonderful things that happen when you start to believe in yourself

Tags:
health, traits, Personality, empathy, empath