Within us all lies the dormant ability to feel other people’s thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Yet within our loud, busy, and energetically frantic world, our sensitivity is often forced to shut down.
The daily stress that we deal with in our 21st-century lifestyles plays a major role in our ability to function as healthy, mature empaths. Overeating, under-eating, binging on entertainment, excessive multitasking, smoking, overworking are all modern habits that bombard our minds and bodies with too much stimuli. The more stimulated we constantly are, the more distanced we are from ourselves.
Stimulation-seeking itself is usually a sign of escapism. We escape from reality because deep down we feel as though we can’t deal with it — and most of us actually haven’t been taught by our parents, teachers or anyone else how to deal with it. In fact, as children we may have grown up in emotionally dulled, immature or wounded families that shunned any form of sensitivity. Unsurprisingly, this caused us to block out and suppress that vulnerable, but gifted, place within ourselves to fit in. This was not really a bad thing, instead, it served as a necessary survival mechanism to help you adapt to your surroundings.
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As an adult, you might be wondering whether you are continuing to block out your empathic abilities. After all, the mark of a vibrant, skillful and self-expressive human being is the ability to access emotions, and thus empathy.
While you may consider yourself to be an empath, it is still possible for you to actively block out overwhelming and negative sensations. While it’s important that you learn how to establish boundaries, it’s also essential that you permit yourself to consciously process uncomfortable stimuli. This will help it to be released, so that you can move on.
Empath Training: Have You Blocked Out Your Sensitivity?
Deep down you might suspect that you are hiding from the world due to your intense sensitivity. In fact, it’s very likely that a part of you is skeptical, cautious and unconvinced about the necessity of “opening up” to your sensitivity again. Why the hell would you want to do that when it could potentially cause you pain, rejection or rile up old wounds — the very things that you’ve been unconsciously hiding from?
The answer is simple: without consciously allowing yourself to be vulnerable, you will forever live in a state of emptiness. Without allowing yourself to be sensitive again, your life will be nothing but a vacuous, grey, emotionally numb existence.
Exploring the ways in which you’ve unknowingly suppressed your sensitivity is the first vital step in reclaiming your personal power as an empathic being. This empath training article will open a few doorways for you to explore. Below I’ve provided some common ways in which people suppress/block out their empathic sensitivity, but this list isn’t exhaustive.
I also encourage you to introspect in a journal. Ask yourself, “What ways am I hiding/avoiding/suppressing my sensitivity and why?” Learn more about how to journal here. You may like to start by writing down each heading below to categorize your thoughts like I have:
Physical Forms of Empathic Suppression
- Addictions, e.g. to sugar, caffeine, food, alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex, adrenaline
- Emotional eating, i.e. eating to soothe your anxiety, anger or boredom
- Binge-eating or under-eating, i.e. eating a lot in one go, or depriving yourself of food
- Avoidance of certain people or situations
Physical Symptoms
- Chronic unexplained fatigue
- Fibromyalgia (chronic aching muscles)
- Headaches and migraines
- Constant colds and flu
- High blood pressure
- Dizziness (frequent)
- Shaking (frequent)
- Knots in stomach/butterflies (frequent)
- Desire to scream
- Digestive problems
- Over-sleeping or insomnia
Emotional Forms of Empathic Suppression
- Adopting the role of care-taking martyr
- Exaggerated emotional reactions to the losses or traumas of acquaintances, strangers, fictional characters or animals
- Feigned positivity
- Inability to express emotional vulnerability
- Decreased empathy and heightened self-centredness
Emotional Symptoms
- Persistent anger issues or rage
- Apathy or lack of emotion (“numbness”)
- Constant unhappiness/depression
Mental Forms of Empathic Suppression
- Neurosis or obsessive-compulsive behaviors
- Negative self-talk
- Blaming
- Criticizing others
- Deeply ingrained cognitive distortions
Mental Symptoms
- Weariness
- Confusion
- Inability to concentrate
- Mental fog
What to do next …
Remember, having a few of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily prove that you’re an empath in hiding. It also doesn’t prove that you’re emotionally or sensitively repressed. But it does mean that you should introspect more and examine the possible reasons why you experience such things.
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As an empath, I’ve found that consciously permitting myself to experience discomfort, without attachment, has helped me to become so much healthier, energized, and psychologically balanced. There are so many things I’d like to share with you about training yourself to become a robust empath. If you would like more in-depth guidance, check out our empath book.
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LoL. I am glad to see you posting a “how to” in regards to empathy.
I have been told since childhood about being “too smart for my own britches” picture a female “Sheldon”.
I told it like it was, not how they wanted it. Life has been a battle, let me tell you. At first, I didn’t know what was happening or why. See, humanity stepped in, and said, hey, what are you doing? Giggle. I love humanity. People who are there when you are, kinda like “can I get a witness”, oh you got a witness. They are the ones thru the years who said stuff like “I think you were born 20 years old, or you are an old soul.”
I told them I yap too much and get on everyone’s nerves. They agreed. LoL.
But I think most people have the instincts that are spoken of, and I grew up in a indigenous society, where watching animals and plants and scouting areas was common.
They told me I have the announcing.
I corrected them I am annoying.
Right now, I sense that a great evil force is at play around the world.
Money and power are usually the culprits. Humanity has become closer to each other because of technology, and that makes those “evil” people rage. So, they can and might persue those who can detect their misdeeds.
What I see is a good chance of being able to network and bring them down.
Problem is, trainings will be needed for those who have the “skills” and be able to help in the time of need. In a safe and effective manner. Hope to see you pass this on and let’s network.
Most law personnel I know said it would make the job easier if folks would just interact with agencies if they have any information. I asked if it was a Medium type? They don’t care, any help is better than none at all. And most people like that have gone into the law field to help.
How can i get real help with my empathic abilities without having to pay, im broke and the lowest ive ever been, ive NEVER put any thought into my abilities or had any training but im sick of numbing myself, i cant hide it anymore,its too strong and i cry at everything,idk anyone like me,i dont go out anymore,ive become a hermit cause i hate people, things might change if i can finally control it instead of staying doped up
I am empath,,my whole life,,,I see things before they happen and always felt everyone’s emotions,,I had no choice. And always aware of the spiritual word,,,right before they tried to communicate I’d get this feeling in my chest and my heart would race,,I managed to shut it all out and now I am miserable,,I need to open myself back up,,empaths are not meant to NOT feel
Thank you for this. I had no idea that how I was handling being an empath, was actually doing more harm than good. I would love to read more of your thoughts and how you are able to find peace within yourself as an empath.
I have experienced stomach knots and butterflies for years and knew not why.. Thank you very much for this Physical Symptoms list..
As usual, my reply to you was sanitized immediately.
Have you tried commenting on other articles with success? I’ve seen your other comments in the past, so it wouldn’t make sense for them to suddenly disappear. There doesn’t seem to be any issues with our private security, and you are still obviously managing to comment here. Maybe try posting a response below my response here.
Hi Feisi, I’m not sure why your comments were deleted — I would have liked to answer them. This might be an issue with our private security. I will look into it.
Someone, probably one your trust, is policing this site.
I’m caught up in emotional storms these last few days. A family gathering brought back all the unbearable pain from my childhood. I am so angry, so painful, so hateful. Their lies, thoughts, emotions were mixing in the air, eating me up. I want to explode but I can’t. It feels like swallowing a volcano. How can I experience such discomforts without being attached? I’ve spent years to make peace with my childhood trauma. I thought I wasn’t going to be in this situation again, but here I am.
I know the feeling Ika. Just when you think you’ve recovered and healed from some kind of childhood trauma, it raises its head again in a different form. But it’s OK — this is to be expected. Your issue is not learning how to detach yourself, but to find a way of venting your emotions in a healthy way. Detachment, or rather, acceptance comes naturally once you learn to forgive yourself for the anger/hatred you have, and forgive them for their deceitfulness and pretension. This is about understanding why you feel the way you do towards them, and understanding why they are the way they are in the first place. Remember that we all carry our own wounds, insecurities and masks — your family, and you, included.
I always benefit from articles for empaths. And I like the way in which you separate physical from emotional and mental suppression.
In the past one of the things that most differentiate me was the physical stability. Now I lost it, somewhere in the way :s, and I’m struggling to equilibrate a little more that level.
I’m glad you liked the separation Mati: it helps the mind to better process what it’s experiencing, so it’s comforting. If you struggle with physical instability I really recommend that you look into moving mediations such as tai chi, qigong, or yoga. All of these can be learned by yourself with a bit of time and effort for free (just look on Youtube). Meditation obviously helps as well, along with going on a food cleanse and cutting out junk food.
Nice to hear from you again :)
Ha ha! Just after of read and make the comment, I made a quick research and I ended up seeing some youtube videos about yoga! :P
I have this pending since some old ladies invited me to try when I was training Aikido in the same place. This was like six years ago and then I stopped practicing Aikido and never did something really physical again.
So thanks for your recommendation, I don’t know that much about qigong, so I will see.
This and the food articles are helping me to mobilise a change, so thank you so much for the inspiration! :)
Smiles all around! :)