Feeling over emotional

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Hi all,

I don't know what's wrong with me, or if it's only me feeling like this. I was diagnosed with autism many years ago. By the way I'm 44. That being said, 3 weeks ago, I watched the Paddington movie that was released last year if I'm not mistaken. Until now, I feel very emotional when I think of the poor little bear with his heart of gold, who ended up homeless in the streets of London. When it comes to that, I'm unable to distinguish between fiction and reality. I can't see Paddington as a fictionous character. For me, it feels like real, a lovely innocent bear with a soul. (Yes, especially with a soul and feelings). I'm watching the heartbreaking scenes over and over again, of course feeling bad all the time and sad about it. The weird thing is, I don't feel much empathy for people, if any (sorry to say). If that movie was with a real person, I would feel nothing. People can be unpredictable, mean, rude, every person has something bad inside. Paddington has nothing bad inside. He's just innocent and simple.

I also love very much stuffed toys. I have a few of them who sleep next to me. And I'm attached to them and I would never give them away.

I'm just puzzled why I can feel so much empathy for things like this. I'm unable to say : "oh well it's just a lifeless stuffed toy, or it's just a bear from a movie, not even real". For me it doesn't feel like that at all. I have lot's of feelings for all of them. But why I can't feel empathy for a real human being? Maybe because I dislike them because of all the disappointment I feel with real people.

And I don't know how to get over my emotions when it comes to Paddington, already 3 weeks I feel devastated, how weird it may sound. From morning til evening I think about Paddington. I look at this picture numerous times a day. The homeless Paddington in the rain and I feel horrible about it.



Here is the link in case the image doesn't appear (link to OneDrive) : https://1drv.ms/i/s!AuRGHnerbMinrBmuYeo5wcDMh8R1

I just don't know how to cope with overwhelming emotions like this. Are there any people on this forum who experience the same? I hope I'm not making a fool of myself here.

Thanks a lot in advance,
Steve

For whatever it's worth, I'm NT and I also feel very little emotion or sympathy towards a human character in a movie, but will cry at the drop of a hat over an animal or an animated character in a movie. Pixar is especially good at sucking your soul out over what are normally inanimate objects (Toys 3).

It's just my armchair diagnosis but I think the reason you and I feel those emotions for things and not people is because they are what we have attached to. I have very few attachments to human beings and had few friends when I was growing up - however I did have a lot of pets so they are to what I was attached, and still am. You are probably the same with your stuffed animals.

And by the way, it's not entirely abnormal. I've heard from a lot of people who say the same type of thing. They never cry over human characters but watching something like Bambi is traumatic.

hi, I don't think you are making a fool of yourself, at all. I could be wrong, but, it sounds as if, at least, part of what you've described could be related to alexethymia, in case it might help you in your search for answers. I've read, it is common amongst autistic people. Perhaps, your hightened empathy for Paddington and stuffed animals, has to do with being autistic, although, Luhluhluh's thoughts on the attachments she's formed to animals and stuffed animals, make a lot of sense. I read your post to mean that you don't feel emotion for humans in real life (as opposed to films), however. I feel strong emotions/empathy for humans, myself, yet, I also feel empathy for some inanimate objects (in case it might help you to not feel alone). x

Hi Luhluhluh, Britte,

Thanks a lot for your replies !
Nice to read about alexethymia, never heard of it before.
Good to know I'm not alone with these kind of feelings. Reading about attachments, having few friends, crying over something animated, it certainly helps to not feel alone.

Many thanks and best regards x