General Empathy?

[BewitchedBewildered]

So, my question is that my ex, a suffer, used to explain a part of his PTSD as basically an inability to have empathy. Is that a PTSD issue? Can anyone relate or understand or explain that better?

 

[mamachick]

I can only speak for myself, but I do not find that to be true. If anything, my empathy has increased to an unhealthy level. At times, the empathy I feel is just too much and I have to back away. That is just me though. I am interested in other replies.

 

[HëllaBubz]

From my understanding, there is a broad spectrum of responses of a person with PTSD.

Part of that spectrum is the automatic 'blocking' or numbing of sensory input, which allows the person to extend their coping. PTSD, from my perspective, is often characterized by the 'alarm' part of the brain, known as the amagydala, which is telling you both physically and emotionally that danger is present.

When you are constantly being told that you are in danger, any sensory input, either environmental or emotional, is extremely draining. And as a result, 'switching off' to your environment is often a common response, in order to cope.

Does that help at all?

 

[Life_in_the_Mist]

I find that to be true at times. It's not like I'm a sociopath, I don't wish people ill, I just feel emotionally shut down so it can be hard to connect and thus have empathy. Sometimes i have too much empathy though.

 

[WillThereBeCake]

If anything, my empathy has increased to an unhealthy level. At times, the empathy I feel is just too much and I have to back away.

Brat summed up what I feel. My husband has to talk me down sometimes because I get highly upset about things happening to people all over the world. It might have to do with details of my trauma, since it had the added feature of not being able to help another person, but mine is over the top, and like Brat, probably an unhealthy level.

I can see what Bubzilla mentioned, and there are times where part of my brain is screaming "Don't listen, watch, care!" because I just can't take any more input. I don't listen to my brain though, and dive right into the empathy mud puddle...head first.

 

[rightkindofme]

I get the impression (I could be just flat wrong so don't take this as fact) that folks who managed to acquire PTSD from other sources are slightly different than the combat veterans. Combat veterans were trained to shut their emotions down *before* being sent to a highly traumatizing situation. The rest of us experienced our trauma more... ok organically sounds funny.... randomly?

From what I can read the source of the PTSD does have some influence on how it longer-term effects people. I have a lot of empathy. I am a very empathic person (to such a degree that I creep people out and have to isolate so I don't cause myself problems.)

So there isn't a one-sized-fits-all approach to PTSD.

 

[JustBe]

I agree.I have always been very easy to be manipulated by others with their own agenda because my empathy button is stuck on! Most days I even avoid the news on TV and radio. I have had to "ignore" some members on the forum who seem to thrive on confrontation and conflict or/and are very opinionated and eager to press their beliefs and opinions on others.:speechless:

 

[ms spock]

I have a well developed sense of empathy, so no this does not apply to me. It might apply to others though for the reasons discussed above.

 

[monicaelise]

Combat veterans were trained to shut their emotions down *before* being sent to a highly traumatizing situation.

Combat vets are definitely a different animal, for exactly this reason. I suspect a lot of the trouble with this population of people diagnosed with the disorder is the fact that they've essentially lost the ability to empathize as a result of this training. How do you get that back once you've had it systematically destroyed through training? In essence, the military turns them into sociopaths so they can do their jobs correctly.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

I don't quite agree with that description of vets, although I understand the point. And as I am not a vet myself, maybe I am not even in a place to have an opinion about it: the only ones who can really do so are combat veterans themselves. If you were a sociopath before you even entered a warzone/conflict, if you had no feelings at all, no empathy, how could the situation even affect you?

I think the very fact that they develop PTSD is proof of the fact that they failed to be converted into 'real sociopaths'... that the approach didn't work. The thing with people who have PTSD is that they feel everything way too intensely (I know I do) and in order to protect themselves from that, they can shut down completely and have no feelings anymore. In which case empathy is also lacking...

When you are constantly being told that you are in danger, any sensory input, either environmental or emotional, is extremely draining

Agree with that... there is just no place left for empathy. Which doesn't mean that empathy can't be felt later on, when people have dealt with their issues

 

[DMerish]

I essentially agree with Radise - If someone didn't have a sense of empathy towards others before the trauma that has caused their PTSD, they'll never "get it" -

I believe a lot of people with PTSD are left with a deep sense of guilt, which makes them very sensitive to others and transfers into the feeling that they need to do something to fix other people's problems, or feelings, because they are responsible.

However, when it becomes apparent to the PTSD person that can't address other people's problems the sense of guilt and responsibility can compound on its self. Therefore, the PTSD person shuts down their emotion or shuts out other people in order to alleviate their false sense of guilt and compulsive feelings of being unduly responsible.

^ Many words there :-o Hope it made sense.

 

[monicaelise]

If you were a sociopath before you even entered a warzone/conflict, if you had no feelings at all, no empathy, how could the situation even affect you?

It affects you because, though you have consciously been trained to override the very normal response to empathize with other humans, you are still human and eventually there is a disconnect. As far as the comment I made, this insight was provided to me by my former partner who flat out said he no longer feels empathy toward anyone as a result of his training. It's not something I personally believe, but I do think it's entirely possible that years of killing (which is what they are paid to do) will eventually affect a person. I don't see how it couldn't.

How could anyone carry on without flipping out if they didn't learn to dissociate/disconnect from these things? What is empathy beyond the closest possible association/connection with other humans?