The Risks of Empathy Overload
It’s okay to protect your emotional energy.
There is value in being able to shift your perspective to meet the needs, and the emotional state of another human being. And more often than not, the reward is greater than the risk. But what happens when you drain your personal empathy bank account? When there is no more empathy currency left to give?
Absorbing the emotional energy of others can be mentally taxing. Especially if you have a natural inclination to nurture or care for others. This characteristic of caring is one to be admired, but it is important to note that setting healthy boundaries can protect your emotional well-being from being diminished. After all, no one wants to end up bankrupt.
Caring for yourself, and understanding your emotional threshold will allow you to be more genuine in your ability to understand and share in the emotional experiences of others. Offering empathy to others too frequently can, and likely will, lead to an unintentional neglect of your own feelings — leaving you in a persistent state of mental exhaustion. Set aside time to deliberately re-energize and refresh, so that you can be emotionally available for those who seek your support. It’s important to balance your energy withdrawals with meaningful deposits.
Making others emotional state your main priority can be detrimental to your mental well-being and can cultivate a culture of enablement. Finding a balance between being supportive, and enabling someone to continue down a path of emotional sabotage can be challenging. On the one hand, you want to ensure that you are empathetic to their circumstances, but on the other, you need to be clear about your boundaries. Sometimes the best thing to do is to encourage them to think critically for themselves and allow them the opportunity to experience their emotions fully. There is something satisfying about knowing that you earned the funds you are depositing.
Your ability to resonate with another human being’s feelings and share in their experiences is imperative in fostering positive relationships, but your capacity to give your undivided attention and demonstrate genuine interest relies heavily on your energy reserve. If you exist in a constant state of heightened emotion, and continually take on the emotions of others, you may be at risk of empathy overload. The key is to recognize when you have withdrawn too much energy, and consciously find ways to re-deposit energy funds.
