5 Signs You Are an Empath

Being an empath or knowing one can be challenging at times. Empaths are sensitive to the people around them. They can pick up emotions, physical things, and intuitive information. Having these abilities can be overwhelming at times, especially when you think you are alone. It’s important to connect with others who have the same abilities and know that you are not alone.

If you or someone you know displays the following tendencies you/they are likely an empath.

Conflict makes you feel extremely uncomfortable

Empaths are sensitive to emotions, and when there is conflict there are a lot of emotions. This means that heightened conflict can make empaths feel really off balance. Some might feel physically ill, others might feel sad, or even pick up some of the anger.

Conflict is sharp energy, it doesn’t feel good to hold in the body, nor does it feel great to listen to. If you are sensitive to energy (moods, feelings) conflict is something you want to keep at a minimum.

If the conflict is something you can walk away from, such as in the case of other people’s issues, walk away. If it isn’t, work to de-escalate the situation, but if you feel overwhelmed take a break and come back to it.

A lot of the time the conflict smooths out with perspective, taking time out gives a chance for things to be seen in a new light.

Drained by crowds, commuting, traffic

It’s fun to go to concerts, games, the mall, museums, and so on but if they are packed with people it can be draining for an empath. The sensitive nature of being an empath means that you pick up a lot from others. When you up the number of people in your surroundings it can be an overload.

Being stuck in traffic or just the average rush-hour commute can be frustrating for anyone. For empaths, all that frustration is easily picked up, and it’s a lot to handle.

Try having soothing music in your car or wear earbuds if you are on public transit. Take some down time in solitude after to recharge. Consider going at off-hours so the drain isn’t as bad.

Feeling like you don’t fit in

Being an empath can feel isolating at times. Especially if you are not around other empaths. This can feel true with family, in school, around friends, at work. I remember as a kid, that I was able to feel my parent’s emotions as if they were my own. This was made more apparent once they divorced and I would spend one on one time with each of them. I felt their emotional worry over money or the emotional pain over heartache. I noticed other kids didn’t talk about things like that.

I also seemed to like animals more than other people; I felt they could understand me better than people. Empaths often turn to animals and nature to feel accepted. The soothing and higher energetic frequencies of nature and animals are healing to an empath.

In school, I started out with good friendships in grade school. Went to being bullied in middle school, and then made a few friends in high school. Adolescence is when I felt truly different than other kids. Many empaths have a difficult time with social anxiety, fitting in socially, and finding themselves.

It’s key that you understand you are different, yes, but you aren’t damaged. You are a beautiful soul who has tons of positive qualities. Just because you don’t fit into the mainstream doesn’t mean you are any less of a person. In fact, it means you are more complex, insightful, creative, and extraordinary.

Have you been told you are too sensitive?

I grew up with my parents telling me this all of the time. I know they were trying to help by toughening me up but it left me feeling like something was wrong with me.

I thought I was seriously broken because sensitivity in our culture is such a bad thing. Sensitivity is connected with being feminine, and western culture tends to value masculine qualities above all else. I didn’t even think of myself as all that feminine. I loved sports and I was raised by a single dad who had guy friends around frequently. Being a kid I thought I was like those around me.

The problem was my feelings got hurt way too easily. I did toughen up over time, by hiding myself, keeping my hurt feelings silenced, and creating a tough exterior.

If you have been told you are too sensitive you are very likely an empath. It’s a common thing people say to us, there is nothing wrong with you. You are being true to yourself when you embrace your sensitivities and stop trying to deny them.

Sensitivity to smells, chemicals pollutants, medications

I don’t know how many times I have experienced weird reactions to things that other people can easily tolerate. I get sleepy from daytime allergy pills. I can’t use a fireplace because I’m so sensitive to smoke. I get asthma and headaches from cologne. When I tell most people these things I get a weird look back.

Being sensitive is a part of being an empath, and it comes in the form of sensitivities to food, drinks (especially alcohol and caffeine) chemicals, sugar, pollutants, medications, supplements, sounds, people, and so on.

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Being an empath comes in all shapes and sizes. Some empaths feel a lot, others sense a lot, others pick up physical information. Some are fine with crowds but cannot tolerate certain foods. There is no right or wrong way.

The important thing is to accept who you are, and stop denying it. Break out of old patterns you may have established years ago to protect or hide who you really are. Come into the light of truth, be who you are.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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