There are some truly terrible things happening in the world right now. Every day, a different disaster. And no matter how far-removed you are from them, many have the ability to affect us on a very deep level. We are humans after all. We should have some level of empathy.
That word was first coined in 1909 by a psychologist called Edward B. Titchener. It's a translation of the German term einfühlung, aptly meaning "feeling into."
When children are swept away in floods, others die as bombs fall, or people go to bed hungry, how can we not have some kind of "feeling into" what they're going through?
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VeryWellMind defines empathy as "the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place." Essentially, say the experts, it's putting yourself in someone else's position and feeling what they are feeling. Walking a mile in their shoes, so to speak.
It might hurt—but it's actually a good trait to have. And here's why...
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Empathy shouldn't be confused with sympathy and compassion. While all three are related, the latter two are more of a passive connection. "Empathy generally involves a much more active attempt to understand another person," explains the VeryWellMind site.
While many people do feel a level of empathy for others, it's not a universal response. Some human beings are able to meet another's suffering with a stone cold reaction, or none at all. And on the other end of the spectrum are the empaths, who feel so much for others that they end up suffering themselves.
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"Having a great deal of empathy makes you concerned for the well-being and happiness of others. It also means, however, that you can sometimes get overwhelmed, burned out, or even overstimulated from always thinking about other people's emotions." It's a state experts describe as empathy fatigue.
Have you ever felt completely emotionally and physically exhausted, worn out, even depressed after reading/hearing about or seeing the struggles of others? That's empathy fatigue kicking in. It can also leave you feeling numb or powerless, and quite literally fatigued. You may even want to isolate yourself, in order to regain your strength and reboot your energy.
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But as we said before, even though it hurts, empathy is a good thing.
For one, it can help strengthen your relationships. "Empathy allows you to build social connections with others," explain VeryWellMind's experts. "By understanding what people are thinking and feeling, you are able to respond appropriately in social situations."
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Even though it might not always feel like it, empathy also helps you regulate your emotions. It allows you to manage what you are feeling, even in times of great stress, without becoming overwhelmed, the site notes.
When we can regulate our own emotions, we are better able to respond to the emotions of others.
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It goes without saying that those who have empathy are more likely to want to help others. But it goes both ways. People are also more likely to help you during your dark moments when they experience empathy.
"Empathy helps us notice other people's needs, understand their distress, and inspire us to alleviate their suffering," reads the site.
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