Ever since I was a little girl, I have experienced empathetic or sympathy pain when someone I was close to was hurt or sick. The closer I am to the person, the more intense my reaction. When I was little, my mother would get angry with me because she thought I was looking for attention. Has anyone else experienced this phenomena?
2007-10-14 03:40:22 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Alternative ➔ Paranormal Phenomena
To Peter D:
As to your question about guilt or shame: I tell people I was born with it. It's not quite true, but I was an abused child. As most of us know, guilt and shame is something abused kids have in spades.
2007-10-14 12:20:41 · update #1
Again to Peter D:
As I understand it, the pain is real; but there is no physical cause or reason for it. When I was a kid, I thought everyone experienced this phenomena.
2007-10-14 12:28:04 · update #2
It's unusual that you allow your personal, mental sympathy to go so far as to hurt your body. You must be very sensitive indeed. I wouldn't consider this to be paranormal, because it's not their pain you're feeling. What you're feeling is a direct result of your mental state. The pain may seem real, but if there isn't a physiological cause then there isn't real pain. In other words, it's only perceived pain. It's just like with hallucinations--it's being registered in the brain as if were real even if there is nothing there.
Do you attribute this to guilt or shame of any sort?
EDIT: I am sorry to hear you have been a victim of abuse. In my experience, it's not uncommon for those who have been victimized to feel the guilt and responsibility of things that aren't their fault. It is unfortunate that a victim is made to feel responsible for his/her abuse, but many times this is the case.
When I say the pain isn't "real" I am not saying you aren't feeling it. I'm saying since there is no physiological cause of the pain then nothing is happening to cause it. I have no doubt that you feel this pain, but it's not real in the physical sense.
From a phsychological perspective, there is no difference between when someone sees something that isn't there (hallucinates) and when it is there. As far as the brain is concerned the object is real, even if it isn't. I wonder if your sympathy pain isn't the same thing.
2007-10-14 10:27:14 · answer #1 · answered by Peter D 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Empathetic or sympathetic pain is very real. In personal experience if I see someone hurt, as in an accident, very serious pain is experienced. At times it will actually create a wince and muscle contractions as a direct result.
I do not know what the reason is, and have no idea what the cure for it is.
2007-10-15 13:16:53 · answer #2 · answered by fiddlesticks9 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure. Sometimes I would ask to carry someone else's pain (who I loved and couldn't bear to know they were feeling so much pain)...but I'm not sure that was a good idea. The human body couldn't handle carrying the pain of the world. Now, I have panic attacks and PTSD...which I'm sure some of that contributed to. Empathy is good, but we're only human...we can only handle so much. I think things like between you and your husband have happened to me too...so I do understand what you're talking about. Just don't take on more than you can handle.
2007-10-14 15:55:35 · answer #3 · answered by Deenie 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't go as far as to say that I feel someone Else's pain exactly, but I do cringe and get a weird pain up and down my spine like when I see someone getting hurt or has a wound. Empathy for me is just trying to understand or imagine what someone else is going through. I would say that you are very sensitive to someones pain and might also have symptoms of: OCD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive-compulsive_disorder
2007-10-14 18:01:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes my wife and I have it all the time. I'll hurt something and she feels the pain too. Or I'll wake up with a pain where she got hurt. I think most couples have that happen.
2007-10-14 23:29:46 · answer #5 · answered by John S 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
When I was pregnant both times my ex-mother-in-law got morning sickness for me before I even knew I was going to have a baby. Then she started having labor pains before I did, both times.
2007-10-15 19:51:36 · answer #6 · answered by DrMichael 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am extremely empathic as well, but more when it comes to emotional pain than physical pain. Studies are being conducted on empathy. Check out this link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4313263
2007-10-16 05:22:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is a great question I learn something new every day.I have never had sympathy pain.I only have a anxiety attack when someone gets hurt.
(Many blessings)
2007-10-17 00:33:57 · answer #8 · answered by margaret moon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My sister got knee surgery over the summer, and that week I had a horrible pain in my leg that came and went... One time it got so bad I just said to myself- I am not my body, and the pain went away and never came back.
2007-10-14 10:56:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
I have been called a sensitive by a few people, but still proving it. However my husband who I believe is my soul mate and I exchange things. Whenever it is my "time of the month" his face breaks out...And when we were going through immigration, he was in UK and I was here in US there were times that something funny happened to me and he would call me asking "WTF was so funny...I had a laughing fit in middle of work"... strange..kinda heart warming, but true. Kinda scary..hope i don't fall off a cliff or anything...he would hurt too! lol
2007-10-14 15:30:37 · answer #10 · answered by Frances B 1 · 3⤊ 2⤋