Do you think being a empath can make you a little cynical?

[Epithymia]

I sometimes wonder if being an empath can turn you a bit cynical? I think it has me in a way...anyone care to share?

[TwilightDancer]

Unfortunately absolutely.
For me at least. I'm very good at reading people, and I did not have a very safe childhood, so I tend to judge a-lot of people right off the bat. If someone gives me a bad vibe on our first meeting, I won't try to get to know them, I will avoid them. It's wrong. I know, but It's me.


Blessed Be

[Epithymia]

I feel the same way completely. I tend not to be around a lot of people and I don't hide it well when someone gives me a bad vibe. I get very quiet and avoid them. I am not trying to be rude to them , I just hate the way it feels.

[Chalice]

I sometimes wonder if being an empath can turn you a bit cynical? I think it has me in a way...anyone care to share?

Yes, because Empaths "feel reality".

We find it very hard to fit into the social mind control of "Just be Positive" when we can sense someone who is a murderer, child molester and just a liar in general.

The "Just be Positive!" crowd is happy with lies, as long as the lies are in the form of positivity. Even affirmations can be lies.

Empaths can't get away with NOT sensing the truth.

Therefore we can feel very lonely because what we sense, can be the opposite of what the social group wants to think.

[Echo_of_shadows]

I hadn't thought to connect the two.
I've lost track of the number of times that I've gotten a bad feeling about someone, but decided to befriend them anyway just because the rest of my friends had. Next thing I know, the person shows their true colors and everyone is mad at that person. You can't just say to someone, "I'm going to avoid you because you give me a bad vibe, even though you've done nothing to me." They'd probably think you're nuts or something. I think I've finally gotten over the urge to play nice with someone just to appease someone else.

[Epithymia]

I gave up playing nice with people I get the vibe from a long time ago, the only exception to the rule is in a professional setting. I am not mean to them I just simply ignore them and do not engage in conversation unless completely unavoidable. I also tend to be quite serious looking and hard to read. I don't like people knowing what I think or what I feel if I do not know them. I think that might also be part of it, I don't want people to know when I am sad or hurting. I wonder if most of us have that demeanor about us.

[Echo_of_shadows]

I don't like people knowing what I think or what I feel if I do not know them. I think that might also be part of it, I don't want people to know when I am sad or hurting. I wonder if most of us have that demeanor about us.

I can relate. I've got this thing about not letting people know much about me. I think people are hurtful enough with giving them things they can use against us. I've gotten to the point of lying about my feelings so much that I do it automatically without thinking. I'm actually working on undoing some of that. "I'm fine," or "Nothing's wrong," still come out on their own, but I'll come back later and say "Sorry I lied. I'm actually feeling like this..." Some of the deeply buried stuff is hard to bring up, sometimes tears and internal arguments are involved. I'm not ready to let everybody in, but I'm working very hard on being totally honest with my boyfriend.

[Epithymia]

The strange thing is ,like this form, I feel very comfortable and at ease talking about things and myself. Perhaps it is because I feel shielded in a way being behind a screen. Whatever the reason,it is comforting and very needed. I have found everyone I have talked to on here to be wonderful and very kind. I have learned so much just reading through the post and all the helpful information. Also, I am not like that with the patients and family members I encounter at work, I work inside a hospice office , and I feel if I can help them in anyway I should. Outside of that it can feel very lonely even thought I am in a healthy relationship.