The definition of empathy is: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. A person, who is empathic, then can feel the feelings of others. Most of the time, this definition is not taken literally. However, we are finding that this might just be true. An empath is a person who can feel others feelings, literally feeling in their own body the feelings, including pain, of another person.

The difficulty arises when the empath cannot distinguish between his own feelings and those of the people who are around them. Let me explain. We process information in our brain in three channels: Visual, Audio, and Feelings. We use all three, but we tend to have a preferred channel. Whatever we are thinking creates a vibrational frequency in the electromagnetic field around our body. A sensitive person (empath) has the ability to sense these vibrations from another person. I sure everyone has had the experience of meeting someone and instantly feeling like you can give that person a hug, or the feeling that you need to hide. We all have this ability, but based on our favorite channel for processing sensory information, only some of us sense the feelings most of the time.

Many years ago, I had a patient who had been diagnosed with agoraphobia, the fear of public places. When I met her, while doing a house call, she had not left her home in three year. When she went out, she was flooded with emotions, mostly anxiety and fear.  At that time, I did not know much about these things, so we loaded her with Valium and her family took her to a hypnotherapist that I knew in the Detroit area. I thought he could hypnotize her to remove the phobia. To my surprise, he diagnosed her as Clairsentient and Clairaudient. He said she had the ability to feel other people’s feelings and hear their thoughts in her head as if they were speaking to her. When she was around more than two or three people, she would become overwhelmed with sensory information. It would be as if everyone was talking loudly to her and she was feeling all their combined emotions, pain, joy, anxiety, depression, and so on. He taught her to control this flow of information and within a few sessions, she could go easily into public places.

Today, there seems to be a tremendous amount of anxiety. Very many patients, especially young people, seem to have a lot of anxiety, social anxiety. When I explore this with them, they often can relate to my patient with agoraphobia / clairsentience. Could it be that much of the anxiety and depression that we feeling is really not from imbalances in our own neurochemistry, but rather feelings that we are picking up from someone else?

Some of you will understand this concept immediately because you are empaths. Others, especially those who process information mostly with visual channels, will think I have lost my mind. The solution is quite simple. If you are empathic and have not learned how to control the incoming sensory information, you can imagine some sort of blocking or protective screen around yourself. Some will use angels, bubble wrap, pink light, Lancelot’s armor, or other imaginary kinds of protection. When you vividly imagine this protective shield, your body will begin to filter the incoming information. You will feel less from others and more of your own feelings. Experiment until you find something that works for you. You will have less need to take medications and will be more in control of your life.

Put Your Health in Your Own Hands.