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Have you ever been unable to connect with the empathy of another?

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Justmehere

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i don't mean to refer to experiences that may be due toany condition outside of PTSD.

I have been through some experiences lately that have been very hurtful. Plus trauma. I'm finding myself very dead inside when someone expressed empathy towards me offline. Online I can connect to it, oddly. But someone showing genuine feelings of empathy are at best uncomfortable and at worst just feels like..: nothing. Like they might as well be describing the weather. If they express compassion for my dog, any dog, others, I can emotionally connect to that easily. But to myself I just don't feel anything. I feel piles of empathy for others, no issues there. I simply can't take it in.

It's a little concerning.
 
I'm not sure it's the same or how to explain my feelings but... i don't feel it either, but i can also get annoyed or even angry by it. One way i want someone to understand what i am going through, but on the other hand i'm like... wtf.. get a grip when that person shows any empathy. But sometimes i don't show it, it's just a whole lot of nothing and it is confusing. same as you, i do feel it for others, like a lot. I do have trouble acting on it though.

I've read some of the things you are going through lately, i'm sorry that is happening to you, i hope it gets a bit better soon.
 
Empathy or sympathy?

Empathy I have zero problems connecting with, but sympathy can f*ck right off.

PART of that? If I’m eyeballs deep in my own emotions, other people’s emotions are too much to even contemplate, much less attempt to manage. Empathy? Is entirely contained. There’s nothing for me to manage. It’s simply them, understanding. Sympathy, on the other hand, is this outward pouring (snort... I typed “pooring” by mistake, and I think I like it better ;) of -often complicated- emotions that I simply don’t have the energy to contend with when I’m doing badly, nor the desire to, when I’m doing well. Mostly, I just want to smack them. I didn’t ASK about their feeeeeeeelings, and I certainly don’t want their feelings shoved down my throat.
 
I think empathy is fairly rare, and being able to convey it a second problem. If you didn't have much given to you it may be unfamiliar, and also uncomfortable. Better that than not being understood though. Try just by saying thank you.
 
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