In a world that’s ravaged by wars and widespread affliction, empathy is almost inevitable. But as we all know, an excess of anything can pose as a threat, even if it’s empathy.
So, let’s take a closer look at toxic empathy and some of the best ways to prevent it from pervading your mental space.
Let’s Understand Toxic Empathy
Before ascertaining whether you’re experiencing toxic empathy, it’s crucial to understand what it is in the first place.
Empathy is the ability to place oneself in someone else’s shoes and trying to imagine their problems.
Sometimes, however, empaths feel a bit too attached to the problem they’re envisaging. This ultimately makes them more volatile which, in turn, depletes their mental state.
Telltale Signs of Toxic Empathy
Whether it’s a personal relationship or anything else, it’s imperative to empathize with others. However, going overboard isn’t a good thing either. Here are some signs you may have toxic empathy.
You Often Neglect Yourself
People with too much empathy are drawn to placing the emotions of others over their own. This means you often think about other people and their problems rather than practicing self-care.
You Find it Hard to Refuse
Saying a simple no can seem way more difficult than one would typically imagine. If you catch yourself struggling to refuse to do things at people’s request, you might be prioritizing their needs more than you’re supposed to. That’s obviously a bad thing.
You Feel Stressed When You’re Around People Who Look Perturbed
If you notice the people around you looking overly agitated, you start feeling stressed out too. This means you’re a little too in tune with their emotions which won’t bode well for you.
You Don’t Look Forward to Social Interactions
Have you started to notice a blatant change in the way you feel when talking to people? If you’ve started to feel more exhausted by interacting with others, your toxic empathy might be taking over.
You Look For Reasons to Warrant Negative Behavior
People suffering from toxic empathy have the inclination to refuse to concentrate on other’s wrongs, no matter how blatant they might be.
Justifying other people’s behavior might make it easy to deal with them in the short run. But in the long run, this can cultivate an unhealthy relationship with them.
You Start to Experience Burnouts
Have you been struggling to fulfill your responsibilities because you’re experiencing mental fatigue.
If you’ve started to develop symptoms of a burnout, your empathy has started to impinge on your daily life.
Surefire Ways to Protect Yourself From Toxic Empathy
If you’re an empath who has the tendency to focus on other people’s emotional needs, it’s time to take a step back and reassess that part of your personality.
Here’s a plethora of ways you can overcome toxic empathy to prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed.
Keep Your Feelings in Check
Before you react to anything, take a moment to consider your emotions. If someone is telling you a poignant story, determine the feelings it elicits from you and acknowledge them.
Afterwards, take a walk in solitude to distract yourself from the need to obsess over your feelings. Soon enough, you’ll realize that conversations with your friends no longer leave you feeling drained.
Create Balanced Friendships
Toxic empathy doesn’t lead to healthy relationships. Instead, it results in lopsided ones where one person is a bit too invested in the way the other feels.
Therefore, set healthy boundaries and, thus, maintain a balance in your friendships. This is key to ensure that neither of you become toxic to the point of jeopardizing your mental health.
Practice Mindfulness
To avoid being overly empathetic, it’s important to clear your mind up a little. Take long deliberate breaths and focus on your heartbeat.
This helps you concentrate on yourself whilst ensuring a better bond between your mind, heart, body and soul. Additionally, it helps ensure you’re affable but not overbearingly compassionate towards others.
Visualize Boundaries Between You & Another Person
Sometimes, the distinction between your feelings and the person right in front of you can be blurry. This prompts feelings of excessive empathy which can be pretty troubling.
To counteract this, erect a proverbial boundary between you and your friend. It’ll feel as though the emotions they express are bouncing back at them rather than being a burden to you. This is surprisingly effective at keeping toxic empathy away.
Cultivating Healthy Relationships By Being an Empath Within Reason!
And with that, let’s conclude this extensive look into the concept of toxic empathy and its implications on the human mind. I hope you’ve gotten some insight into how you foster a healthier mindset and, in turn, live a better life. Remember, empathy helps us form stronger bonds with people while toxic empathy weakens them.
If you’re a highly sensitive person, you need to work on your weaknesses. Set boundaries wherever you can and keep your mental stability on the top of your list of priorities. Ultimately, life as a toxic empath isn’t as conducive to one’s personality as one would think. With emotional boundaries and a more lucid mindset, you’ll be well on your way to living a more fulfilling life. Have fun!