Is it possible for an Aspie to be overy empathetic?

Post Reply New Topic

In my opinion, there is a bit of confusion around with the term "empathy". It literally means "feeling together", so it doesn't really cover the thinking part. I don't have a diagnosis or anything, but what I can say of myself is that:

1) I feel what other people feel while being in the same place/talking - e.g. anger, frustration, relaxation, sorrow, etc, and I am very easily influenced (if someone is nervous, I just have to leave the room). I consider myself highly empathetic because of that.
2) I can't figure out a person's intentions or thoughts, in the same settings. Sometimes I get very self-conscious because I don't get what's going on.

Anyone can relate?

Yes yes, that's nicely put.

I feel something all the time, it's like I think in emotions - not words, pictures etc - but that's not to say I'm irrational, not at all.
I tend to pick up vibes quickly as I am always into detail, so that goes for non-verbal language as well but the problem is that I just don't get it. If the world was according to how I feel it would be way different. I just don't feel the way normal people do, I think.

Same here and I feel I always have to state that when replying to threads like this.


I find the same, maybe it happens when you are inclined to feeling negative emotions as opposed to positive?



Yes I am similar, although I wouldn't say "feel sorry for" because I try not to do that as I wouldn't want someone to think that of me, more "feel for them". I know what you mean about feeling powerless, I find it very frustrating that I'm not able to express to people really how I feel, particularly if they are in distress or such. It's a bit like tapping from the inside of a box and everyone else being on the outside, some of them probably in their own boxes aswell. Although that may be a bit of a strange analogy, but I can't think of another way to describe it.
Slightly off topic but I am getting quite frustrated typing this because I find it hard to explain what I mean and it's such a complex topic.

Anyway I find the issue of empathy very intriguing, and as others have said there doesn't seem to be a clear defintion of it. I often think of the difference between empathy and sympathy and end up mentally tying myself in knots!
Like you say GreySun all the criteria for AS seem to state lack of empathy as a symptom, but as others have also said it seems to make sense that it could go either way. And for the same person to feel both in different situations.
Sorry for a jumbled message, getting a rather tired, hopefully someone can understand some of what I am trying to say!

I believe that me and my girlfriend are very empathetic, perhaps even too much. It's just that we don't express it in quite the same way as most people. I think my girlfriend especially is overly empathetic, whereas I don't have much for the majority of people who I don't know, but I have way too much for the few people in my life that mean the most to me. I'm very emotionally sensitive in general too.