Empathy

My fellow frustrated-therapist told me yesterday that I was an empath..this was after hearing my accounts on how I can be so focused on some things (reading, watching movies, playing video games) that I transport myself to that particular situation. Although I admitted that I tend to empathize with what I read/watch, it still is a different matter to be called an empath.

"Empathy is awareness of the thoughts, feelings, or states of mind of others. When we see another human or animal experiencing something positive or negative, we instinctively identify with the other."

I refrain from watching horror movies because I fear for my heart..
When I was little, I wanted to experience seeing a ghost or any paranormal creature, but then I realized that whenever I see scary movies, I already feel as if I was with the movie characters, I gave up that wish.

War movies leave me bullet-ridden and dying all through out the war scenes. I wince with the characters and duck to avoid being hit. My heart gets tired just from watching (and feeling) those types of movies.

I don't usually cry during tear-jerker movies though.. probably because with these type of movies I can easily shield and detach myself.. I asked my friend why that was the case and he said that it was because being scared or hurt uses a much stronger stimuli than being happy or sad, that it is hard to control..
(And anyway, we get teased when we cry during episodes of Maalala-ala Mo Kaya...actually, we tease our youngest sister, because she always cries..hehehe)

But of course I also have the ability to detach myself from situations (even my own) so that I can assess them objectively and be able to give out useful advice..


[This is an unfinished blog actually...I have to fill in the next sentences..at the least....]
With this knowledge of myself, I can now ...
I know that I need to be near happy people, but ...


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post script:
it is difficult being an empath, since i also have my own feelings. it's like i feel twice as much or more than one feeling at the same time. overwhelming!