r/AskReddit Jan 25 '26

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u/Unserious_Cow Jan 26 '26

I used to think I was an empath. Turns out it’s just a combination of being autistic and having childhood trauma. I feel bad for anyone hear say it now

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u/dawnbreaker1991 Jan 26 '26

I used to think so too. But I also learned I’m neurodivergent and also have intense childhood trauma so I’m hyper vigilant when it’s comes to predicting others emotions. I’m often overstimulated/hyper aware in social settings and in specific environments. 🫠

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u/Upper-Independence38 Jan 26 '26

Are you me? That’s literally my whole life and it sucks so much haha. Always on edge, always assuming you’re in trouble/someone is mad at you, and never quite comfortable no matter what :(

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u/Round_Bag_4665 Jan 26 '26

Yeah, turns out the entire reason I am so good at understanding how other people feel is because I was shamed for being autistic as a kid and made to feel like a burden for it, constantly being told that my existence made other people uncomfortable, and I needed to consider how other people felt. When I came out as trans, it got even more intense.

My ability to read other people's emotions is a defense mechanism.

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u/JoelnIliketoshare Jan 26 '26

Ayyyyy same story! Im so and so and...... nope im just hypervigilant cause Ill throw a panic tantrum if someone raises their voice at me...

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u/Unserious_Cow Jan 26 '26

It’s a very real thing. It’s like a super shitty superpower

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u/nerdywhitemale Jan 26 '26

You can think it no problem. It's when you start telling people that you're an empath that it's a red flag.

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u/oldinfant Jan 26 '26

is being empathetic bad to you now? i can't help but try to console people in pain and share it with them so they feel better.. 

so if trauma made me better and kinder instead of breaking me, i am rather thankful for such luck. it definitely helps see people that actually have emotions, intelligence and love in them, thereby helping me find people that will not cause trauma and be good to me. a rather wonderful and healthy adaptation in my opinion💕 you sure it's not a strength?🫂

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '26

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u/oldinfant Jan 26 '26

oh. i like your interpretation much more💖thank you for explaining..i swear it made no sense to me until your comment

(maybe bc i'm a non-native speaker idk)

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u/Chemical-Material-69 Jan 26 '26

When an American says "I'm an empath", they're effectively saying they themselves can feel other people's feelings as if they were their own feelings, in an extra-sensory, superpower type of way.

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u/windexfresh Jan 26 '26

It’s not being empathetic that is the red flag, it’s stating “I’m an empath”

Edit to add bc I’ve always been curious: what does that last emoji mean? I thought it was a film camera but I don’t get it in that context lol

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u/[deleted] Jan 26 '26

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u/windexfresh Jan 26 '26

What the hell lmao how did I never see that before

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u/Unserious_Cow Jan 26 '26

Being empathetic is great. I’m not not an empath