 Hey, Psych2goers, welcome back to our channel. Have you ever wished you could feel what others do? You could comfort and understand what people are going through better. So what's not to like? Did you know there are actually people who can do this? They're called empaths, and they can feel others' people's emotions as if they were their own. Their highly perceptive and sensitive nature makes them some of the most understanding and compassionate people out there. But there are some drawbacks to being an empath. Empaths struggle with a lot more than some may realize. Are you curious as to what these difficulties are? Well, here are six struggles only genuine empaths will understand. 1. Being highly sensitive to others' emotions Picture this. You're having the best morning so far. You had a delicious breakfast and are ready to conquer the day. Then, someone having the worst day of their lives walks into the room. You can practically feel their annoyance from a mile away. And it rubs off on you. Your nice day immediately turns sour and you just can't bounce back. Empaths are highly sensitive to how others are feeling. This means someone else's bad moods affects you as well. And you can't simply stop feeling that way. This heightened sensitivity leads to emotional burnout and being mentally overwhelmed. You often struggle to separate your emotions from someone else's leaving no emotional space for yourself. So, while experiencing what others feel sounds great. Don't forget, you need to practice self-care and relaxation as well. 2. Needing alone time Do you love being around others all the time? With your great people skills, it sure sounds logical. However, empaths need a lot of alone time as well. Constantly feeling others' emotions without any check on when, where, who or to what extent being with people all the time can get exhausting. You need alone time to recharge and process everything that goes on in your mind. Most people think you're being rude or avoidant, but it truly isn't personal. At the end of the day, empaths deserve as much patience and understanding as they give others. 3. People taking advantage of you Do you often feel like you can't say no to someone? Whether it be peer pressure or trying to avoid disappointing someone, saying no can be hard. When it comes to empaths, saying no is especially difficult. You can feel the other person's frustration and worry when the request isn't met, which can lead to major guilt. Many empaths are happy to help both in order to avoid this guilt and simply because you understand the request is important. However, this compassion can lead to getting taken advantage of. Some people ask for too much without considering the other person's feelings and limits. Empaths are some of the kindest people out there, but everyone has boundaries that deserve to be respected. 4. Knowing when someone is not okay Has a close friend ever lied about being okay? Could you tell? Because empaths are highly sensitive and intuitive, you generally know when someone is lying, even without being best friends beforehand. This may sound like a great thing, but it has some drawbacks as well. Being the only person who can tell when someone isn't okay is a lot of responsibility. An empath may feel accountable for making them feel better, which can take away from your life. It can be a great task to find the balance between respecting others' boundaries and trying to help. This makes being an empath very difficult. So, if you are one, you should try to remember that no one person is obligated to make everyone else happy. You need to prioritize yourself as well. 5. Being labeled as too sensitive Have you ever been called too sensitive? If so, why? More often than not, being called too sensitive is simply someone else trying to excuse their bad behavior. By shifting the focus onto you, they can make it seem as if you're in the wrong when you aren't. Empaths tend to care a lot, sometimes over things that may not be a big deal to others. This means you're often called too emotional or hypersensitive. In reality, you simply have a lot of compassion and care for the world around you, which definitely isn't anything to apologize for. More power to you. 6. Violence is deeply upsetting When you hear something horrible on the news, how does it affect you? Are you worried and upset for the rest of your day, or do you compartmentalize it? While this isn't true of all empaths, some get deeply distressed when they watch anything violent. Whether it be a horror movie or the news, you may simply get overwhelmed by the rush of negativity. It can be hard to explain this to non-empaths, but at the end of the day, your feelings and preferences deserve to be respected no matter what. Being an empath has both good and bad aspects. It's unfair to think empaths are fortunate and always happy without being aware of the downsides as well. They deserve as much love and care as they give to others. Are you an empath? If so, did you relate to these struggles? Which ones? Feel free to comment down below your experience, input, or suggestions. If you found this video helpful, be sure to hit the like button and share it with those out there figuring out the empath rulebook. Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell for more new videos. And as always, thanks so much for watching.