In gereral I think most people have the ability to empathize as long as they have human emotion so why not vamps, witches etc.
I tend to empathize better with strangers than I do loved ones as I think I'm too close and my feelings become tangled and I can't help but sympathize.
For your final question, I know that even councillors that work in various fields have to receive counselling to help with there work.
Me as well.. But I think that most honest, good open people who care about others as a whole do..
basically, all humans are empathetic. some more than others because they remain open to subtle energy and an open heart. Others dont want this or find it too painful to deal with, they shut down and block.
Sounds like a very good clinical social worker :)
Anyone can read others if they pay attention and truly listen and observe. Yes, I think there is an underlying sensitivity as well that makes the difference in reading someone and being empathetic to someone.
Being a clinical social worker, I must make efforts to take care of myself or I would take other's crud into me and my life. I have enough of my own, I do not need to do that. So I have a self care plan in place.
I do things like, get a massage, journal, talk to friends, go to movies, listen to relaxing music and occasionally, even another therapist.
I know for a fact that I am Empathic/Psi.
I can feel/sence emotion from anything with a pulse.
Yes, at times when my shelds are down or weak I can get overwelmed easily.
Grounding is a good way to expel overflow.
But this for me is tricky.
See through also being Psi I can feed off emotion just like energy. Drama can fuel the meter, as well as Joy.
What Im learning is how to bind. Form a connection with somone. Then either draw emotion or energy from them.
My first question is can demons, vampires, witches etc be empath?
I don't see why not. It's an additional ability, or trait if you will. It's not inherantly "good" or "evil", it's how you use it.
Second question is how many people believe or can justify they are an empath?
I think the same as someone else said above, most people have some empathic capability. However it may atrophy due to non-use. Women are said to be more empathic than men, and mothers are said to be more empathic than most women. (think "gut instinct").
Me personally, I have empathic abilities, and I use them, and they've both helped and hindered me in the past.
Third, how do empath's deal with all the emotional baggage? Wouldn't most weak empath's just end up being commited or killing themselves?
It's quite likely that some people do. Shielding is good, and works. Being alone also works. You have to find soemthing that works for you.
Let me just say this.
Empathy and Sympathy are not the same thing.
To feel emotion and to understand it is diffrent then Pity.
i.e To empathize with someone after a loss would mean that you have either been touched by the loss or have had expirence.
Sympathy is to "feel" sorry without understanding
I only came to realize not long ago that I am an empath.
Somedays I am happy for no reason and later find out a friend or family member had a really good day, or something really good happened to them.
Or I can be depressed suddenly and have no reason to be and find out someone is having a rough day.
It also depends on how close I am to them. If there is a strong connection or not. I could feel them in an entirely different country.
So if I break down or start acting weird for no reason, I am usually picking up someone else's emotions, i just never know at the time who.
Talking with someone though, i can pick up their feelings crystal clear.
I myself though, tend not to share my own feelings. There are only a select few who I will share with, and even still it is not everything.
I myself have a lot of these traits and have been able to pick up on others emotions for a very long time, and if Iam very close with some one i can feel their pain. I also can feel with animals. there have been lots of studies on twins that are so well connected as well. And I agree that everyone can feel others emotions, you just have to block alot of things out or you get over whelmed and drained.
How do you block though?
That is one thing I am not able to do. And yes, it is overwhelming and draining.
It's very difficult being an empath and blocking the ability is even more difficult but it can be learned with a lot of time and patience.
All creaturs of the world are empathic. Yes I can and have justified my empathic abilities. It merely takes a close minded individual to critisize this ability and to put it up for speculation.
It is a reason why I had left VR a month ago. I became too close to someone, and I could feel their emotions very strongly...but I think they were also feeding off of my energy. I don't think on purpose.
I ended up going to the hospital with high blood pressure cause one day i was freaking out.
You ask if vampires can be empaths... I guess that would have to revolve around your definition of vampire. I am a psy vampire and I now know that when people say I am empathetic they mean it. I also jsut realized that thats how I christmas shop... lol... when I was little I wanted to always be able to get everybody a gift they would love and I do. I tap into a person really easy and suddenly jsut know what to get them (along with how they are felling and I am good at getting them to talk about it and help them straiten it out.) If I have a hard time just tapping into that person without a problem I just breath a little deeper and sometimes close my eyes and it ALWAYS works.
Not all of the things on that list where me but when you wrote what an empath was and what they could do that is DEFINATLY me. thank you!
As for demons ect I think it also depends on your belief in them... but I believe that they can be because what you are doesn't change who you are inside. To me that is the same as asking if an indian can speak more than one language or if they can understand other people. So my answer is yes.
First question, yes I believe that anyone or thing can experience empathic traits.
Second question, why would you have to justify it. I feel if you have to go around justifying your empathic ability then your not entirely convinced yourself of your gifts.
Third question, yes many weak willed people that don't know how to protect themselves or shield themselves against another's strong emotions tend to commit suicide, become drug addicts, or alcoholics to deal with it all.
lol you think I was justifying my 'ability' lol... all that that did was give it a name and help me connect things that I knew I could do without a problem to each other. So if you call giving something a name I find that kind of strange... but hey... all to thier own you know.
lol I totally skipped part of that sentence lol... it happens sometimes when someone distracts me in the middle of typing... that was supposed to 'if you call giving something a name justifying your abilities thats kind of strange" But I skipped 3 words in the process.
I believe one is becoming a good empath, after he has mastered his own emotional inputs/outputs.
Traits of an Empathy:
For me personally,these answers are thus..
-most often poets -Not this time
-often quiet-yes
-take a while to handle compliments-yes
-talk openly-eh
-have problems talking abou their feelings
(to the contrary, they could be the exact opposite) -neh
-seem ignorant-Hope not
-may block everyones feelings-always,to a degree.It is essential.
-they tend to openly feel what is around them, not inside of them -Not necessarily.I pretty much choose what I want to feel.
-usually non-violent, non agressive, leaning more towards to a peacemakers.-Yes,as much as can be.
-mostly resent their lack of self-control-No.
-sensitive to television, videos, movies, news, violence or emotional dramas
-sometimes may feel physically ill or choke back on tears or cry easily when they see anything emotional, unsettling or violent.-No,I have learned how to avoid that
-have hard time comprehending humanities cruelty.-I comprehend them alright,thats the problem.
My first question is can demons, vampires, witches etc be empath?Who knows.Unless I am a Demon.Vampire or witch,I cannot tell you.
Second question is how many people believe or can justify they are an empath?-
Prolly alot...here is one of them,answering your questions.
(I know, I ask too many questions..one more)
Third, how do empath's deal with all the emotional baggage?Ok.Takes practice. Wouldn't most weak empath's just end up being commited or killing themselves? -I am sure it has happened. Sadly.
I'm an empath. I know I am because I have been using my talents for awile and it has helpped me understand life a lot better. Before I knew what it was I was letting other peoples feeling control mine. I feel better now that I have better control.
I believe it to be true. And yes we might all have an understanding of each other's emotions but in reality there are those who truly end up feeling something about one person when they havent really known them. I, myself, claim to be an empath because it has been proven repeatedly that I can sense the emotions of someone who I dont know. I feel that we might have a strong connection. The other person even starts becoming afraid of how much I get into their head and feelings.
First question: If humans can have empathy why can't vampires and demons etc. ? I do believe that they can also have empathy
Second: I think that I am somewhat a empath... I do have some of the traits but not all.
Third: Write in a diary or journal it.
well according to the traits of an empath that you listed before, I would be an empath, and I guess I can pick up on certain emotions and feelings around me but not to a degree that I actually realize what's happening when it is happening, I can't really explain it but in answer to your questions. I do think that vampires and demons and things of that nature can be empaths it would make sense that a creature of supernatural origins to be an empath. I am not really sure of how to answer your other questions.
well I do believe I am an empath.. as of a few months ago it woke to full strength. I have been trying to learn to use it to help not hurt me
1. If you can feel and experience emotions you can be have empathic traits.
2. Yes many people believe in empathic abilities. And as long as you believe in yourself you don't have to justify your abilities.
3. Shielding is the best way to deal with the emotional strain from others. Grounding helps to release excess energies. And making sure you have a moment where you cut off emotionally from everyone every day helps as well.
Yes those that are weak and unable to deal with the emotional strain can commit suicide or become an addict to get through the stress. If they learn to shield and believe in their shields then they will learn it is a gift not a curse.
I'm an empath, but I must question the "have problems talking about their feelings" part; I have no issue with that at all, I'm VERY open with all aspects of my life; too open, I fear
I am also an empath and I do tend to isolate at times due to emotional overload at times from others. Is doable though with concentration and keeping up guards.
Yeh Gwen we do have a tendancy to isolate dont we..Never thought about that much, but you're right.
A lot of that first description just sounded like a sensitive person. Not sensitive in the psychic sense, but sensitive at heart. Like a little kid is.
An empath, as I've always seen it, is someone who can feel other peoples' emotions when they are around them.
I think we can all feel emotions from other people. It's a human trait. Some people feel deeper things from others especially when we are closer to them. I've always had these features even when I was a little girl. People often wondered if I was into the "witchy" thing but I just felt things differently.
Empathy is to emotionally put yourself in the place of another. Many people can see adversity and feel sorry for another, but I believe to truely put yourself in their place emotionally you must first be open to your own emotions and only then can you feel them emotionally.
that was a very good description of the traits of a empath which i have only resently became aware of being one i have always been sensiveto others and with some animals but never truelly understood what i had until a few months ago. I since have had so many different emotions to deal with exspecially when my father passed it was really draining but a exspierence i have yet to control but i am working on it being alone to think and mediatate helps some but i still cant fully stop the emotional overload. I believe in time i will be able to control this. I dont sence strangers as much as people close to me but it can get intense at times also. i can also if i go into a graveyard hear the voices of the dead which can be very intence which is why i really try not to. Anyway hun i think this is a very wonderful thread and i thank you for the info on this.
I'm sure demons, witches and vampires can be empaths.. I don't see why they cant. And like many others have stated. Everybody is empathic but just on different levels.
As for witches and phsychic vampires - yes we can! I don't know anyone who is truly one of the others so I cannot answer that.
My daughter is empathic and so am I. We are both witches. Unfortunately my daughter is soo empathic it can affect her on a daily basis as she does not yet have control over this gift.
Sorry - third answer is - practice. You practice how to filter the emotions out and to realize it is somebody else's emotions you are feeling. It also helps if you have people that understand and can believe you when you talk to them about it. You need all the support you can get.
Yes, I believe if you are not sure of what is happening and have no guidance it could be overwhelming to the point that one would take their own life.
for the third question. usually an empath would learn or try to learn how to channel the emotions so they dont get overwhelming. But yeah I'm sure some have gone crazy because of it.
I don't see why a vampire couldn't be still be considered empathic. With donors and the like its not as if there are physically harming anyone without the person's consent. If there were causing bodily harm and letting instincts just get the best of them, then they would definitely not be considered an empath. (Duuurrr... but I didn't know a better way to phrase that.)
Most empathic people I know are constantly being committed (including myself to a degree.) Because we cant determine good boundaries between helping others and whats truly best for ourselfs.
I don't know if you would call me an empath but I do take on the felings of the people around me . I tend to try and help others figure out there feelings but have a hard time figureing out my own
I honestly don't know many people like that... Most people shun what they do not understand... I am an empath and I try to push it away and not feel..it works most the time till you find someone who really really cares about you.
A few years ago I was able to feel what people felt and knew what was going on inside them. I ended up blocking those feeling because I had a troublesome 4 years, but everything is coming back slowly.
To your first question, yes I believe they can.
I am also an empath, but with me it is usually only with someone I have formed some sort of a bond with. And yes, if I let it, it does affect me. I think the key is learning to ground yourself, as others have stated.
This goes way up the thread to my friend occeane! Yes we do and I know CB is struggling to deal with her empathy. Sometimes isolation is all you can do to recharge.
I am an empath. It takes it's toll because I absorb so much around me and people's unconscience feelings, good and bad. So I don't know many times, if my anxiety is theirs or mine. All their crap causes anxiety too. It's overwhelming. I have to stay away from people most of the time, after realizing all this over the years. I pay attention to people's energies and really stay away from psychic vamps, users, drama people and negative people in general. Makes me sick. Also loud chaos. Can't handle it. And certain colors. They carry energy too. Everything does.
Just an addition to my previous post. Also to respond to you Jamie. I do know what you mean about other peoples energy affecting you.
I find that meditation helps me center myself and decrease the flow of negative energy from those around me. I try to set aside time every day for this.
If I am anything, I am most definitely an empath. I have been most of my life so I don't see why someone wouldn't be able to be empathic. If you ask me, all animals are empathic towards humans at least. It would make sense that supernatural beings would even be able to take this particular trait to the next level.
Me and dutchess are empathes the way we deal with not getting everyone elses emotional baggage is by sheilding ,grounding and centering ourselves and yes for short times we even isolate ourselves to rejuvinate and recharge ourselves.
Though when we go to aid someone or help them is when we open ourselves up to their feelings and at that time we sometimeshave to remote view to see what is truly going on in their surroundings.After we are done is we when ground, center and cleanse ourselves from the emotional state and baggage of others and the negativity of the problems surrounding the person in question.
Alot of your list could be used to describe a million different people but not every one of them could claim to be empathic.
I know i write poetry and get upset easy at things of cruelty especially if toward animals or someone i love alot.
I don't know if this is empathy or not but when someone very special to me was feeling sick to their stomach before i knew they had this i was having and unsettled stomach feeling as well and had no reason why when they came on IM they excused themself because had to dash off to be sick.
On their return they explained and it sort of surprised me but i didn't think much of it really except there is a strong bond between us.
My answers to your questions....
#1 - Can demons, vampires, witches etc be empath? Yes, I believe any creature, human or not, can be an empath.
#2 - How many people believe or can justify they are an empath? I believe I am an empath.
#3 - How do empath's deal with all the emotional baggage? Wouldn't most weak empath's just end up being commited or killing themselves? Dealing with all of the "emotional baggage" is something that has to be learned. It's not unusual for someone who hasn't learned to deal with it to have a breakdown and end up committing suicide or being placed in a mental institution.
Empathics seek issolation as well.I seem to get more direct with what I "glean"as others ask me questions with deeper meaning then they thought.I have voided "gleans"and this has set me up for a crap storm of should-have-saids so there are down sides to empathy .
Some are created through abuse or neglect...as well as you stated some are genetic.When the "birds of a feather rule"is dismissed then true empathy is in use.
the actual use is reserved by "fair"Empath (who wants to read something about a book every time,before you read it).
Empathy as a weapon or as a chain to another (dramatist that know how to make others pity)is socio-pathic and I am swore against such practices(few that I have seen).with bio-feed back against empathy I scored eight to ten points on average above the bio feedback rating well being,focus and hobby preparedness.
Yet when an empath is Betrayed the true intent is clearer and more likely to cause post trumatic stress
especially when the person is "leaned"as an intentional practitioner.Who can you tell?
Empath dig company with other empath for this reason and not as it would seem to create understanding but because two empath need not glean and then feel they need to relate information...but if they do then it is understood at face value.The hardest thing is trying to help someone out of a spiral and they are hung on the playground drama. Empathy not to be confused with sympathy some one here said it well. I refuse to get reactionary if others are woa-is-me for the sake of the attention...the number one cause for empathic burn-out.
In ink,
dabbler
Of course witches, vamps, demons can be empaths... if humans can, why assume others cannot? >.
I would hesitate to say that demons can be empathic. I believe to be empathic that one must have a soul to have feelings---I personally believe that demons have no soul so can not be empathic.
As for people who practice witchcraft and vampirism, they are people first so yes they have the potential to be empathic.
well, i believe anyone can be an empath. someone told me that i am an empath. i am, and its not hard to keep things under control. you just have to have a strong will to steady ourself. at least that works for me.
Empathy is the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another, sympathy is the harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another. A witch might feel sympathy but empathy. A vampire may feel empathy with its victim.
Very good information. ;-]
That does indeed sound like you, Amanda. =P
A bit of a copy from Oceane's post, hope you don't mind sweety.
Traits of an Empathy:
For me personally,these answers are thus..
-most often poets - By hobby
-often quiet- deliberatly
-take a while to handle compliments- Not sure how to take them.
-talk openly- Depends on what is being said or discussed. Just don't get me started.
-have problems talking about their feelings
(to the contrary, they could be the exact opposite) - My feelings do not matter.
-seem ignorant- Very much so. But only to individuals I either don't know, or don't like.
-may block everyones feelings-always,to a degree.It is essential. ~I agree with this as well as they always give me very bad stomach aches.
-they tend to openly feel what is around them, not inside of them -Not necessarily.I pretty much choose what I want to feel. ~ I agree, but sometimes it is hard to discern the two.
-usually non-violent, non agressive, leaning more towards to a peacemakers.-Yes,as much as can be. ~ When all else fails, floor the bastard. But hey, diplomacy rules.
-mostly resent their lack of self-control- Who ever said I lacked self-control?
-sensitive to television, videos, movies, news, violence or emotional dramas. ~The wife catches my emotions every time, friggin sappy movies.
-sometimes may feel physically ill or choke back on tears or cry easily when they see anything emotional, unsettling or violent.- Let the voilence come...It is all a part of life. But the physically ill, friggin stomach aches.
-have hard time comprehending humanities cruelty.-I comprehend them alright, but thats not the problem ~ Damn straight.
i think a lot of people confuse sympathy with empathy and that's the first problem. you can only empathise with someone when you can truly understand what they have gone or are going through. Being an empath means that you have a higher level of that understanding. The traits associated with being empathic are common because empathic people have to be more open to gain that level of understanding
I am very empathic...so much so that i can not be in crowded places a lot and also when people argue i have to distance myself quite often. yes someone can be an empath and a witch ect.
From The Wiki:
"Empath is a term coming into common usage to refer to a person with a feeling expanded sensitivity or clairsentience."
From experience this trait falls way into the bane category vs. boon, as others personal evils and suffering can very nearly crush or consume you if you interface without due caution.
As far as witches, demons and vampires having these traits thats hard to say as I have never met any. I think that I have a lot of these traits as do many people I know, its like stepping into someone elses shoes. It can be taxing to feel so much but everyone has their own ways to relax such as meditation, a walk etc...
To be Vampyric suggests being an empath. We feed off of the energies of others, and we need to be able to read our prey, so that we don't feed off of negative energy.
I was an empath long before I became Vampyric. I've been an empath my entire life, but I didn't really know what to call it until about a year or so ago. I used to constantly take the negative energy away from my loved ones, but I never understood how to let it go. I continued doing so until I got sick from it. I talked to someone close to me, and he told me that taking the negative energy was like taking poison.
I hate being empathic some times. Like when I can't stop from feeling what everyone around me is feeling when I'm in a crowd. It's so overwhelming some times. That is way I stay away from people most of the time.
I do tend to go under the radar alot too,however,I have never disliked or hated the empathy..one just learns to deal with it..and better yet,make it work in a positive way.
TheVenus -
The energies, not feeling the emotions. Not empathy.
Being an empath means that you feel and take in the emotions of people around you...not the energy of the people which is what a psy vamp does right?
The Birds of a feather theory is also valid.If I happen to be around someone that was a victim of child physical ,neglect,or sexual abuse and I was I survivior of sexual abuse neglect or physical abuse then there is a common thread we share The stigma is more notable.True to good friends as well.The empath is one who reads this info and processes it,usually in a clandestine way to enrich the person feeling overburdened with emotion.
I find that when I border on empathy I can be drained by people who have a grip on drama ...the extreme grief or false joy always cause me to shield myself from others.Some people dwell so much on their woe.When they feel bad or shallow happy they want everybody to feel that way things they say and do subtle make people think they are empathic.around static people they may even feel numbness and that is the difference between attentive hyper ness and empathy.an empath can disern between set emotions and projected emotion.
As a carney there are tricks I learned that would make anybody think you have them dialed in...not nessarily empathic but intuitive.
I have a lot of these traits as well and some of my friends are trying to tell me that I may be an empath but I really do not know.
OMG dabbler - I thought I was the only one who experienced these problems. I seem to attract people who need masses of emotional support & that often leaves me feeling drained of energy. People bombard me with their problems from all directions but at the same time I can't help myself from inviting them in. I instantly know when something is wrong & sometimes have to hold myself back from asking what it is.
Believe me IM you are not the only one.;) It is part of being an empath.
so another trait of empathy that is important to develop is disernment.The shutting out of those that "slam"un-adept as well as adept,intuition is far safer then empathy I think empathy is a developed trait and intuition is inheirited
It's so hard to shut them out though - I always feel so guilty!!!
and you should they tear themselves open...they bleed so you can sit with them and hold thier hands.Until they start to heal then they look for the next thing to tear themselves open for so you can come back and tell them they will heal and to give them more energy...so they can stay up all night and think about how much they hurt.
I imagine just about anyone or anything can be empathetic. Some may just use their...abilities more than others, therefore becoming stronger. Just like with anything else concerning your mind, meditation is key to controlling it.
The down side to empathy is you can be caught by manipulations of the dramatic persuation.You may agree with something on que that you would never do without softing a term tht means what it says.Some will project negative emotion to get attention and when you stop or are unable to continue to give symathy they turn on you with drama to bolster the attention of the next victim they seek to draw in.
I think vampires are mind readers because they have no heart beat or breathe to mask the still near silent whisper about us humans below a whisper,and above a thought...commonally mispercieved as telepathy.
lepercauns well now come and speak to me of the wee folk away from here now ....
Like many of the other members that have posted, I too have many of these traits. I seem to just know what a person is thinking or feeling without even knowing or talking to that person. Your right, sometimes it seem too much to handle and over time I have developed ways of couping with it by keeping my distanse from certian individuals. I have heard of empathy but never heard of a person' with special abilities called empath.. I always usethe word intuitive..to discribe these traits.
i am one but i cant block it. ive tried once and it worked then it backfired.
i had to draw physical pain without blood to stop my break down.
if you are a psy vamp doesn't being an empath sort of go along hand in hand?
The human mind is a powerful tool but it does not mean all of our abilities are psychic in origin. Neural and behavioral research has shown countless times that we humans are extremely sensitive to non-verbal communication and that we pick up on the very submittal changes in body language and facial expressions of ourselves and animals around us. We also pick up a good deal on spoken word and our mind processes every minute change we see and hear in others. All of this sensory input, evaluation and classification occurs subconsciously in our minds. This creates what most refer to as Empathy. However this is a natural biological function and not anything psychic. Those that are less observant or allow themselves to be distracted often are most likely to not pick up on non-verbal. Those that do pay attention and or those that are trained to pay close attention like a profiler or law enforcement investigator, will seem far more empathic than others.
In fiction, once a vampire bites and some blood is exchanged, then there is a strong empathetic bond between the two.
Well said, AlchemistDamned and Oceanne.
I am a firm believer that everyone has a bit of empathy in them. Some however have a gift have the ability to feel how others feel, to be in-tune with all creatures wether it be human, animal, or nature and help.
I think it is good you have shown some light on the subject because this will truely help someone, somewhere.
I'll agree. Most people have some level of empathy towards others.
Those that lack empathy or emotion usually yield sociopaths.
On the other hand, those with expanded empathy would be very useful in emotional servicing, such as couselors or clergy.
I believe my empathy lies towards feeling animal thoughts (mammals like dogs, cats, etc. Not those damn birds!)
I seem to expirence alot of those explained in the first post.
I'm HIGHTLY emotional torwards fighting, pain of others (especially ones close to me) and others, including animals and strangers. Just not inanomate objects. lols.
In my opinion, people who expierence that sort of extreme emotion, being one who has, takes quite a bit a toll on somebody. Well, that I've experienced. Alot of the times, I get very depressed, very easily, since in my life, there is a ton of drama or alot of people dealing with drama. I usually break down and cry, because there is no other way to coop with all the emotional drama.
It is sort of like I can understand what everybody is going through, even if I haven't gone through it yet. But, most of the time, I have great advice to give people when they are having a tough time. ^_^ They usually ask "How do you know how I'm feeling?" I just shrug and tell them I don't know! X3 lols. Cause I don't. XD
It makes me happy, when other people are happy, and when other people are sad, it brings me down, very low, to a point where I can't do anything but cry. Most of the time, if I'm angery at somebody, I can't get back at them! Because all it will do is hurt me. XD
I don't quite understand it. It's kinda difficult to explain. lols.
And with being Pisces, since Pisces are said to be very emotional, I think that just adds to it. XD
I can even tell when I'm talking to somebody on the phone, even when their tone of voice does not change. XD