Am I An Empath? Empath Definition and Survival Guide

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If you have ever wondered “Am I An Empath?” this post offers a full empath definition and acts as an Empaths Survival Guide! Get the information you need!

Am I An Empath Table Of Contents:

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The term Empath is often overused, and little understood. The actual definition of an empath describes those people who find themselves hypersensitive to the emotions and emotional states of others.

In this article we aim to provide empaths with some insights and methods that will help you to reclaim your own emotions!

Definition of An Empath

The urban dictionary definition states:

A person who is capable of feeling the emotions of others despite the fact that they themselves are not going through the same situation.
Urban Dictionary

If we look at another dictionary definition an Empath is described as:

“a person with the paranormal ability to apprehend the mental or emotional state of another individual”.
Oxford English Dictionary

In many articles and books Empaths are defined as “sensitives”. This is what is referred to as the “spiritual psychological profile” for a person who displays the traits of being an empath.

It does not mean people who show sensitivity or are sensitive to the needs of others, although they always display these traits.

It means people who display the traits of being psychically sensitive.

Being an Empath means you not only pick up on and detect others emotions but you also, often unwittingly and unknowingly, absorb and reflect the emotions of others.

Energy Shifts And Transfer – Am I An Empath?

Empaths absorb, shift and transfer emotional energies.

They absorb emotion in a similar way as a sponge absorbs water. In the same fashion they can also transfer energy.

When consoling someone, they transfer their positive and loving energy to the other person. This results in others feeling a great sense of relief and emotional stability.

This is why an empath may find they are actively sought out by others going through emotional crisis.

However the empath needs to be aware that this can lead to them being drained of energy and physically and psychically weakened.

It is critical that empaths are aware of this energy transference as they will be constantly affected by other people’s energies.

Once aware they will have much better control and understanding of why this innate ability to intuitively feel and perceive others feelings has such a profound impact upon them.

Am I An Empath?

The Empath Spiritual Psychological Profile – Empath Definition.

The spiritual psychological profile means you can be influenced by others’ desires, wishes, thoughts, and moods, often without your knowledge.

This is much more than being highly sensitive and more than just being able to sense the emotional state of others.

Being an Empath brings with it the ability to perceive and feel the physical emotion, mental sensitivities and spiritual urges of others, as well as sensing and knowing their unspoken motivations and intentions.

Spiritual DNA – Empaths Survival Guide

Being an Empath is part of you, your spiritual and physical DNA.

People can not learn to be an Empath. An Empath cannot stop being one.

This can make it a difficult life journey, but it is viewed spiritually as a life path you selected.

As part of your Spiritual DNA you will truly understand how to “feel”. It is vital that you work to recognize what are your own feelings, and be able to understand and realize when emotions belong to others.

This is critical because you will constantly sense and absorb the emotional state of others around you. This is also why you may have the innate desire to heal, help, cure and soothe.

The desire to soothe and heal is powerful, and you will probably offer assistance even when it poses risk or a disregard to your own emotions and wishes.

Am I An Empath - Definition Of An Empath — Am I An Empath – Definition Of An Empath

Energy Transference – Am I An Empath?

Being an Empath means you are constantly transferring energy. Either absorbing it from others, or transferring it to them.

With this comes a likelihood of physical energy transference issues.

Absorbing the emotions of others can lead to the development of energy blockages. These blocks cause an imbalance within the chakras and subtle bodies.

Read Our Guide

“What are the 7 Chakras – How To Balance Chakras“.

Because of this Empaths may experience imbalance and energy blockages as emotional or physical symptoms and illnesses such as chronic fatigue, unexplained aches and pains, unknown stress and anxiety. If left unchecked it may also lead to severe depression.

These emotional physical symptoms are not usually due to your own personal health situation. They impact personal health because of the absorption of emotional energy from outside influences.

These energies are recognized by the body as being foreign and your system reacts to them.

Simply put, you are constantly collecting “emotional energy baggage” from others.

The Emotional Mirror – Am I An Empath?

Empaths are known for being achievers. Most often quietly achieving while transferring credit to others.

They do not usually like public praise or compliments. If given praise they will often respond by pointing out the positive attributes and qualities of someone else.

They don’t usually get a chance to talk about their own personal feelings. This is because the people they tend to associate with, don’t usually ask about their feelings.

However they can be highly expressive if ever asked to discuss any matters that relate to emotion.

They will normally be very open about feelings, emotional connections and very frank and honest.

For those struggling with being an empath, or if unaware of being one, they can display the polar opposite of what would normally be expected.

Some Empaths become reclusive and are viewed as ignorant and unresponsive. This is not a natural part of being an Empath.

However it is a normal and understandable reaction for anyone who is struggling to cope with the constant barrage of emotions and feelings that are absorbed from others.

It is also understandable for those trying to discover which feelings and emotions are their own and those that are not.

It is a self imposed blockage of self protection.

Externally Focused Empath Definition. Am I An Empath?

Empaths tend to focus on what is happening emotionally outside of them rather than inside of them.

They focus and concentrate on others emotional needs rather than their own.

This leads the Empath to taking on the role of peacemaker and looking to soothe tensions and emotions.

Being highly sensitive usually means being non-violent, non-aggressive and any disharmony causes great discomfort. Confrontation is not natural and causes distress to an empath.

They will often try to settle a dispute quickly, even if it means sacrificing their beliefs and needs.

If an empath loses control and speaks harshly, or without thought for the emotions of others, they usually try to resolve the situation.

In fact they often try to resolve the conflict immediately.

This sudden change of attitude can confuse the non-empath and may worsen the situation leading to them not accepting any apology offered.

If causing emotional hurt to another the empath resents themselves for their actions. They often continue to mentally self punish themselves until they are assured of forgiveness.

Empaths are constantly picking up on other’s feelings and if unaware may project these feelings outwardly with no realization of the fact.

This leads to the Empath not being able to express their own feelings and leads to them bottling things up.

This then leads to them not releasing negative or unwanted emotion. It also means these self imposed barriers prevent them from understanding their own actual feelings and thoughts.

Emotional Release For The Empath. Am I An Empath?

An Empath must learn not to be an emotional mirror.

They need to learn how to recognize which are their own emotions and which are not. They need to consciously practice releasing their own emotions and talking about their own feelings, rather than reflecting or mirroring those of others.

This will allow the empath to find peace in situations and gain a stronger degree of understanding about their empathic nature.

This is a critical step of self development because the withholding of their own emotional state is detrimental to their health.

The longer that thoughts and emotions are contained and blocked without being released the more emotive power they build.

These trapped thoughts and emotions can eventually lead the peace loving empath to become emotionally explosive.

As an empath you must learn, as is everyone’s right and need, to express yourself openly and honestly.

This is a form of self healing. It enables energy to flow naturally throughout our body.

To avoid expressing our own emotions is mentally crippling and can lead to emotional/mental instability and breakdown. It can also lead to the creation of physical illness and disease.

The External Influences. What Does It Mean For My Life?

Empaths will be emotionally engaged whenever they see physical or emotional pain being inflicted upon others (adults, children animals etc.)

These things can bring an empath to tears and can cause physical symptoms such as feeling ill. They will struggle to comprehend cruelty in any form.

Even watching these scenes on television news and broadcasts can cause grave emotional reactions within the empath.

They cannot understand or accept the suffering they see and feel when pain is inflicted upon others.

This often leads them to work with animals, people or the natural world. They are recognized for the devotion and dedication shown to helping those they work with and for.

Empaths are romantics, they believe in old fashioned love, romance and commitment.

They are naturally gentle souls who have excellent imaginations, inquisitive minds and love learning. This makes most natural storytellers and they are often those in the family that listen to others and pass along the family history.

Music And The Empath.

Music can play havoc with their emotional state, however most will still love music.

Empaths will listen to a range of music and have difficulty answering when asked about their favorite style. They usually like it all.

This is due to their subconscious. Leading to their desire for music needing to suit their expressive temperaments and current feelings at the time.

Many people cannot comprehend how an empath can be listening to classical Beethoven one minute and then change instantly to Heavy Metal.

For the Empath the music must match the mood!

Lyrics within a song, especially if it reminds an empath of a prior experience, can have very powerful and often extreme impact.

Lyrics of lost love and emotional pain can cripple an empath.

Empaths will become lost in music, almost to a trance like state. They become one with the music and are often as expressive with body language and movement as they are with words, thoughts and feelings.

This leads most to having a love of gestures, body movement, dance and acting.

The Empath and Others.

Regardless of whether others, or the individual themselves, are aware of being an empath people and animals are drawn to them due to their genuine warmth, compassion and love.

People find it very easy to speak to an empath, even complete strangers. The people who connect with an Empath will find themselves talking about the most personal of things.

They will pour out their heart and souls without consciously intending to do so.

Others subconsciously are aware that the empath will listen to them with compassionate understanding.

Empaths are the listeners of life.

This doesn’t make them bland or unresponsive. In fact usually they have very dramatic personalities and a distinct individual style.

When balanced and aware of their own emotion they are often the life and soul of the party, humorous, outgoing, enthusiastic and positively optimistic.

They will be a joy to be in the presence of and others enjoy their quirky and at times irreverent humor.

The Darker Side Of The Empath.

The Empath who has not learnt to understand and express their own feelings and emotions may be subject to terrible mood swings. This will alienate others and drive people away.

The thoughts and feelings Empaths absorb from others can be so overwhelming (if not understood) that their moods can fluctuate with lightning speed.

One moment they may be delightfully happy and the next second completely miserable.

When an Empath is abandoned in the midst of mood swings it can be incredibly detrimental to their emotional health and self esteem.

An Empath would never abandon someone in need. They will blame themselves for the others leaving them. This will make their ability to express personal emotion even more unlikely.

Caring for the Empath.

Empaths simply need what they give to others. Comfort, caring and someone who will listen without bias, judgment or condemnation.

For those who live with, or have close friendships with, an Empath it is important to remember that many do not understand what is occurring within them emotionally at the time.

They may have no idea that they have absorbed and are now reflecting the emotions and feelings of someone else.

The empath is likely to be just as confused about his or her mood swings and changes in emotion. They will equally question how one moment all is well, and then the next, they feel so depressed and alone.

It is therefore no mystery why so many Empaths end up being incorrectly diagnosed with mental health issues and why so many in the medical profession cannot understand why the empath is unresponsive to prescribed pharmaceutics and antidepressants.

These drugs may dull emotions but they do not stop an empath being an empath.

To make progress and live a happy and fulfilled life an empath must learn to understand the emotional connections involved. Often understanding is sufficient.

The Empath Definition – Need For Answers!

Empaths are born problem solvers.

They believe that where there is a problem there is always an answer. They will, often to the annoyance of others, search until they find the answer.

This is often to give the Empath peace of mind particularly if they feel they have caused a problem. Usually their continual search for answers is beneficial to their relationships both at work and at home.

They are seen as a person who always comes up with an answer, even if some time later.

They live by the motto – “Where there is a will, there is a way”. If there is a way they will find it. The finding of answers is often due to them tapping into Universal Knowledge.

An empath is naturally receptive.

While they may be unaware of, or may not even believe in, universal knowledge and divine guidance they subconsciously are receivers of it. It is this they use to seek answers and solve problems.

The Spiritual Empaths Survival Guide.

Vivid and Lucid dreaming is usually common.

They have highly vivid and detailed dreams and often spend time trying to interpret these.

They will often feel, not necessarily knowing why, that dreams are a reflection or a link to their current and present emotional state. They do not accept that dreams are a mere jumble of irrelevant and meaningless images.

If the present moment in time is not stimulating or of interest to the empath they will find themselves detached and lost in daydreams.

As well as sleep time dreamers most are vivid and detailed daydreamers also.

If an interesting thought or concept enters the Empaths mind they will spend large amounts of time exploring this in a daydream state.

For others this may appear to be detachment. In reality the empath is far off, in their own world, exploring the thought and living it as if in reality itself.

Exciting Stimuli.

When presented with a person or subject that stimulates and arouses emotion within the empath, even if lost in a daydream, they are receptively alert.

Empaths are a captive audience. Should the subject be linked to prior experience or regarding complex thought the empath will be focused 100% and fully engaged.

They frequently experience déjà vu and are likely to have had varying paranormal experiences throughout their lives.

Research has shown that they commonly experience OBE’s and are highly intuitive. If aware of their empathic nature they will embrace these paranormal experiences and often develop spiritually with interest in developing their psychic abilities.

For those still coming to terms with any paranormal experiences, or their abilities to connect with universal energies, they may attempt to block or suppress them.

The question Am I an Empath is an important one to ask, and have answered. I hope this post has helped with the empath definition. If you wish to know more our other post in the Empaths Survival Guide is about the common traits. Or visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Am I An Empath? (The Empath Definition And Empaths Survival Guide).