Do you feel deeply affected by people’s negative feelings? Do you have this natural desire to always help people? If your answer to any of these questions is yes it means you’re an empath and if there’s anyone around you displaying similar traits, it means the person is an empath.
Empaths are people who are deeply concerned over others’ feelings and struggles. They are naturally and sensitively empathetic. They like sharing in the pains and bad feelings of other people.
Triggers for empaths are mainly rooted in their vulnerability to others’ feelings and bad situations. Sometimes, they go as far as taking those feelings as their own and go out of their way to return the person to a happy state. An empath is just someone with very high levels of empathy.
However, if you’re still unsure whether you’re an empath or not, quickly take this quiz on the traits of an empath.
- Are you extremely sensitive to other people’s feelings, emotions and situations?
- Does other people’s emotions affect you, maybe to the extent of feeling you’re the one going through the experience?
- Are you very intuitive?
- Do you easily get overwhelmed by strong intimate conversations?
- How often do you give? Are you always giving to other people without much consideration to your own self?
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Triggers for empaths
Triggers for empaths are events, situations, feelings or circumstances that could incites a response from an empath. These are what brings out the compassion, empathy, despair, and overall sensitive emotions of an empath.
1. People’s pain and suffering
Empaths are very thoughtful of others and their situations. They pay attention to how people around them are doing and how they could help. When someone is going through pains or suffering, an empath easily gets triggered. They ask questions and make attempts to console.
Here is a typical example of a scenario that triggers an empath.
- A major sad occurrence in someone’s life. Maybe, a friend lost a job. If an empath knows about this, they feel extremely pained and sad.
2. When they can’t help others
Naturally,an empath is wired to helping people and making them feel better. Not being able to do this makes them feel helpless and unhappy. If they fail to comfort a grieving friend, they feel very upset. Moreso, when a friend to an empath is searching for a job and the empath couldn’t help, it makes them feel like a failure. When talking about triggers for empaths, their inability to assist people as at when due, triggers them a lot.
3. Excessive intimacy triggers empaths
Empaths are good listeners and enjoys connection and positive discussions. They can make good partners, just that they have challenges managing intense intimacy. They are very much sensitive to people’s feelings and emotions, to the extent of getting overwhelmed by intense intimacy.
Triggers for empaths?
For instance, constant show of affection like kissing, touching or cuddling might be overwhelming for an empath. Engaging in constant emotional intimacy can also leave an empath overloaded.
Read also: Why Am I So Unhappy? 15 Reasons Why You’re Sad
4. Tragic contents
There are some sad and tragic contents over the web space that could ruin someone’s day. For ordinary person, such feelings may varnish after a couple of minutes or hours but that’s not the same for an empath. They think about the event and feel seriously pained. Often assuming they are the person experiencing such sad event. Such feelings could take days before an empath could get over them.
5. When their feelings are taken lightly
An empath is very sensitive and a little nonchalance towards their feelings could get them triggered. They are very sensitive to other people’s feelings and emotions and expect something similar in return.
How empaths could cope
An empath can’t continue living their life for others. It is compassionate to share in other people’s pain and suffering but not to the detriment of someone’s mental health. It is necessary for empaths to get ideas on how to cope with their emotions and with the triggers for empaths.
1. By being kind to yourself
You shouldn’t always outwardly extend empathy, also direct your empathy inwards. Empaths should practice self kindness and take good care of themselves. It is okay to give people but that should be done with recourse to your well-being. The feelings and emotions you have for other people should be sometimes felt by yourself. Be kind to yourself and take proper care of yourself.
2. Spend quality time with people who make you feel good
The importance of quality time spent with positive and productive people cannot be overemphasized. It is a source of energy and excitement. To further control the triggers for empaths, empaths should enjoy spending quality time with people who make them feel better. People who they can have positive and engaging conversations with.
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3. Set boundaries
Because empaths are very sensitive to other people’s feelings and emotions, some people often take advantage of this reality. They try to play smart with their feelings and so such actions could drain an empath. To prevent this, empaths should set boundaries and make sure they stick to it. It could be zero tolerance to lies and deceit. Once a friend crosses this boundary, the empath should immediately cut them off from his circle.
4. Spend quality time alone
As it is necessary to spend time with people, it is also important to spend time alone. This time could be spent on doing something they enjoy doing. It may be practicing their hobbies or taking a walk. This moment allows them the opportunity to have self-talk and discover the peace of mind lying within.
5. Be mindful and give close attention to your feelings
If an empath could have the ability to focus their awareness on present moments, it would give them clarity in discerning people’s true intentions and how best they could help. You should also pay attention to your feelings and emotions as often as possible.
Bottom Line
Triggers for empaths are situations that makes empaths extremely overwhelmed. They naturally have the zeal to help people overcome pain and once they’re triggered they begin to search for solutions.
Empaths shouldn’t be taken advantage of. This could make them feel drained or used. However, to prevent being drained by people’s challenges, empaths should practice coping strategies which includes creating boundaries, self-care and others.
If such feelings and emotions become too intense for you to handle, it is best you seek the services of a therapist.