'Synching' Emotions?

Post Reply New Topic

I've had this problem for as long as I can remember, and now I'm wondering if anyone else has ever had this and how they dealt with it.

No matter what the situation is if a person experiences a very strong emotion, good or bad, I seem to 'connect' with them and feel the same emotion plus whatever emotion I was feeling at the moment of the connection. When the emotion is happy or good I usually don't mind this, but recently I've been having stronger 'connections' with those negative emotions and I have no idea how to deal with them.

For instance; today in journalism we were having a debate on whether abortion should be legal or not. I love debates, but they tend to take a lot out of me when I'm the minority and the others refuse to see any different view. Anyways at the end of the debate the class left for lunch and I stayed behind in the classroom as usual. Two of the girls from my class had also stayed behind and were talking to the teacher. Suddenly one of them starts crying and talking about how her sister had an abortion recently and she was the only one who knew of the plan but did nothing. Right then and there I felt like crying along with her and curling up in a ball. I was unnoticed in the room for about 5-10 minutes, then I was asked to leave when I did. On my way out my heart felt heavy and all I could think about was 'my fault it happened. I could have stopped it' even though the rational part of me was saying I had nothing to do with it.

I went right to my counselor after that and had a good cry and she asked me how I usually deal with it. I told her that, if I can, I isolate myself from everyone else and just let the emotions course through me till they dissipate. I can't keep doing this and it's wearing me down emotionally and physically. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

(By the way I hope this is the right area to post in... If not sorry... ><)

I'm sort of the opposite, which has caused many awkward moments for me.

Though I do tend to pick up on/sync with negative emotions. If someone is grouchy or sad, I start feeling bad as well. I wish it worked the same way with positive emotions; that would be much more pleasant.

_________________
I'm an author and public speaker on autism, gender, and sexuality
Read my articles @ http://kirstenlindsmith.wordpress.com
Follow updates @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kirsten- ... 9135232493

Your empathy is strong. You need to try to put up "psychic shields" to protect yourself if you can see it coming. Normally I shy away from emotional situations, otherwise I risk letting myself be vulnerable to the turmoil too.

this is one of the reasons i tend to avoid social situations where things like that can happen.

friend of mine texted me recently at 3am. she was having a bit of a breakdown about her grandmother, who passed some months ago but she'd come across some items that reminded her of the loss.

the loss of my grandfather was devastating, as was the emotional turmoil around it because my grandmother decided that my mom (their child) had killed him.

texting with her was like a chess match. extremely careful, guarded, but saying the things i think might help (i certainly could relate), but once i was done talking wiht her i was wide awake and felt like it happened to me all over again. we're coming up on five years since he died in September.

but, yeah, i definitely know what you're talking about. i have just enough emotional availability for the close friends i have. nothing more. and it can take hours or days to deal with the inevitable burnout.

the friends/boyfriend i do this for, though, are worth it.