How Do I Know If I Am An Empath?

Your ultimate guide to discovering if you are an empath and just what this means for you. How can you use it to your advantage and not let it (and others) use you and suck your energy.

First, let's get clear on just what is an empath? An empath is a person who is highly attuned to the energies and emotions of those around them. Empaths are said to feel what others are feeling so deeply that they “absorb” or “take on” the emotions themselves, often at the expense of their own emotional well-being. Empathy is considered a positive trait, but like many things, it can have pros and cons — and it depends on how you use it. Being sensitive to the emotional states of others can help you practice compassion, but it can also allow you to use people's emotions against them.

One of the defining empath trait is the ability to truly understand other people's feelings. You may notice that people tend to share their problems and concerns with you. Are you "overly" sensitive? People with high empathy levels tend to be unguarded with their emotions, it's easy for them to get their feelings hurt. Have friends or family told you that you are hypersensitive or overemotional? Here are some other questions to ask yourself:

1. When someone is experiencing distress, you feel it too, as if it were happening to you? 

2. You are able to relate to other people’s emotions (positive or negative) even though you’ve never experienced anything similar? 

3. You tend to avoid conflict because your feelings are easily hurt?

4. You tend to avoid closeness and intimacy because you’re worried you might lose yourself in the relationship?

5. You have great intuition when it comes to other people’s emotions. You know before anyone else when a person needs help, is angry, stressed, or dishonest?

6. You enjoy spending time in nature because it gives you a much-needed break from overwhelming stimuli?

7. You are easily overwhelmed by crowds?

8. You experience physical discomfort when you come in contact with other people’s negative emotions? 

9. You always care about what others are going through, and your first instinct is to ease their distress? 

10. Your friends tend to come to you to talk about their problems?

11. After spending a long time with other people, you feel the need to recharge because you are emotionally drained? 

12. Because you are naturally inclined to help others, you have a hard time saying “no” and setting boundaries?

13. You are hypersensitive to noise, smells, excessive talking, or disturbing images? 

14. You are naturally drawn to professionals that involve helping others, such as nursing, social work, human services, or lawyer?

Am I a Highly Sensitive Person or Empath (or both)?

Identifying as a highly sensitive person (sometimes referred to as sensory-processing sensitivity) means the person is more reactive to external stimuli, emotions and environmental cues, said Brian Torres, a Los Angeles-based therapist who specializes in working with highly sensitive people, communities of color and LGBTQ+ folks. Torres said the term was coined by Elaine Aron, clinical research psychologist and author of “Highly Sensitive Person,” and it’s not considered a disorder or condition, but rather a neutral trait (meaning it’s neither good nor bad, but just is). (Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2023)

He also noted that no two highly sensitive people are the same or have the same (or any) empathetic ability. There is a difference between the "Highly Sensitive Person," (HSP) and an empath.

The main difference between a highly sensitive person (HSP) and an empath is that empaths can sense and absorb energy from others, while HSPs typically cannot. Both HSPs and empaths share many traits, including: 

• Sensitivity: Both HSPs and empaths are sensitive to the emotions of others and to subtle details and stimuli in their environment. 

• Deep processing: Both HSPs and empaths process thoughts and emotions deeply. 

• Desire to help: Both HSPs and empaths have a desire to help others. 

• Complex inner life: Both HSPs and empaths have a complex and deeper inner life. 

• Benefit from alone time: Both HSPs and empaths benefit from setting boundaries and creating space for alone time. 

Here are some other traits of empaths: 

• Strong intuition: Empaths have more developed intuition than HSPs. 

• Spiritual and intuitive experiences: Empaths may have profound spiritual and intuitive experiences with animals and nature. 

• Difficulty setting boundaries: Empaths may have difficulty setting boundaries. 

  
  

HSPs are neurodivergent, meaning their brain works differently than others. They may be more prone to overstimulation and may need more down time than others. It's possible to be both an HSP and an empath. However, not all HSPs are empaths. 

Empaths take the experience of the highly sensitive person much further: They can sense subtle energy (called Shakti or Prana in Eastern traditions) and actually absorb it from other people and different environments into their own bodies. Highly sensitive people don’t typically do that. This capacity allows the empath to experience the energy around them, including emotions and physical sensations, in extremely deep ways. And so they energetically internalize the feelings and pain of others—and often have trouble distinguishing someone else’s discomfort from their own. Also, some empaths have profound spiritual and intuitive experiences—with animals, nature—which aren’t usually associated with highly sensitive people.

Being a highly sensitive person and an empath are not mutually exclusive: One can be both, and many highly sensitive people are also empaths. If you think about this distinction in terms of an empathic spectrum, empaths are on the far end; highly sensitive people are a little further in; and narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths who have “empath-deficient disorders” are at the far opposite end. For example: Narcissists => Loving empathic people => HSPs => Empaths.

Looking at yourself on a scale might be more gentle than trying to label yourself?

In today's world labels are limiting and never quite tell the holistic story. So when deciding where your sensitivities fall on the spectrum, be gentle and loving, there is no right or wrong and only you know your truths. Be honest and open minded to exploring more as you exprience the world. Intentionally become aware if you are sensitive to other's emotions or are you feeling their emotions inside your body? It's a subtle difference in definition but major in experience.

What To Do To Protect Myself and My Energy?

Does this sound like you might be a deeply intuitive, highly sensitive and/or an empathic individual; someone who is aware of their energetic sensitivity and its impacts? Are you often feeling like you want to hide from the world but feel guilty or that there is something wrong with this? Do you feel resistant to other people making plans for you in fear that you might not have the energy when the time comes to go? Is energy and fatique a hot topic for you? Do you feel differently from others who can just go and go and wonder what their secret is? Do you avoid crowds? Do you crave alone time? Regardless of where you are on the sensitivity scale, and only you can answer this, here are some approaches to protecting your energy and wellbeing.

This approach could involve several key practices that will maintain boundaries (very important) and help you to focus on what you need to do as an empath to stay healthy energetically, mentally, spiritually and physically. Here are some ideas:

1. Energy Cleansing: Regularly engaging in techniques like smudging, using crystals, or sound healing to clear any absorbed energies.

2. Grounding Exercises: Spending time in nature, practicing mindfulness, or visualizing roots extending from the body to the earth can help maintain balance and stability.

3. Chakra Work: Focusing on strengthening and balancing the chakras, particularly the root and heart chakras, can help mitigate feelings of overwhelm.

4. Boundaries and Protection: Setting clear emotional and energetic boundaries, such as visualizing a protective shield around oneself, can help manage the influence of others' emotions.

5. Self-Care Rituals: Prioritizing downtime with activities that recharge you, like meditation, journaling, or creative expression, is essential for recovery.

6. Intuitive Development: Engaging in practices that enhance intuition, such as tarot, journaling dreams, or mindfulness meditation, can strengthen your inner compass.

7. Community Support: Finding a community of like-minded individuals can provide validation and understanding, creating a safe space to share experiences.

8. Professional Help: Seeking therapy or energy work with professionals who understand empathic and energetic dynamics can offer valuable tools and insights.

9. Reading books and visiting websites: To better understand Sensitivity, HSP and Empathy. (ie: The Empath's Survival Guide by Judith Orloff)

This holistic approach can empower you to navigate the complexities of being an empath while honoring your sensitivity and promoting overall well-being.