10 Traits of an Empath, Are You One?

An Empath is someone who absorbs other people’s energy.  There are different types of Empaths. I’m an Intuitive Empath.

First, we all have some empathy; at least, I hope we all do. Others like myself have a more intense and sensitive empathetic ability.

It has taken me some time to say that out loud for other people to hear.  To claim it as my own. I’ve known this now for over a year, maybe two. And I’ve been cultivating it and understanding what it truly means to be an Empath and how I can protect myself.  I realized my anxiety was partly due to being an Empath, more about my experience with panic attacks.

Sometimes you have a hard time differentiating your feelings and someone else’s feelings that you’ve inevitably taken on.  I have only recently begun to ask myself when I feel angry, agitated, or just not myself, “is this is my emotion or someone else’s?”

Often, it is someone else’s emotion that I am feeling.  I clear this energy that I have picked up by smudging myself with sage. This technique was one that I stumbled upon when I started to notice that when I smudge,/sage my home and then my self by habit, that all of a sudden, I felt a weight lifted from my neck and shoulders.  It was an energy heaviness, not a tight neck, from the stress that lifted immediately.

What Is Being an Empath Mean? Are You an Empath?

Intuitive Empath – can feel or sense the feelings of others without any verbal communication. Also, Empaths have a sharp sense of when someone is lying or being dishonest.  Personally, this sense has yet to be proven wrong.

I can sense this immediately upon meeting someone. Within seconds I can feel there is something there that is not genuine. Perhaps they are untruthful, disingenuine, dark-spirited, and sometimes I can’t quite put my finger on it.  In those instances, it has always come to light that my intuition was correct.

Books such as the Empaths Survival Guide Life Strategies for Sensitive People by Judith Orloff, M.D. are excellent books about dealing with emotions from being an Empath.

You can also check out 3 Must-Read Books for Empaths, giving you some more in-depth info on being an Empath.

Traits of an Empath

1. You can’t watch others’ suffering; watch the news, movies with violence, or any other negative media.

You feel the pain and suffering of these people or even characters. Remember, your heart doesn’t know the difference between real and not (movie or news). It thinks the emotion is real either way.

2. You don’t like going to places that have a lot of people.

This includes the mall, large parties, large stores, and other places with an onslaught of energy.  Empaths tend to like being in smaller groups or even alone. It would help if you took the time to recharge from being drained but especially in these settings. Try smudging after these events.

3. You’re truly empathetic to people’s feelings and being able to put yourself in their shoes.  

Being able to feel their experience is real and can be overwhelming too. You can feel or sense their emotions without it being said out loud. You really can put yourself in their shoes.

4. You’re overly sensitive.  

Empaths feel emotions much more deeply than others.  You feel to the core of your being. Anything can trigger the flood gates to open as you’re full of sometimes raw and unfiltered emotion.  Crying easily may be a trait of yours. Others may have told you that you’re sensitive or over-sensitive about things (don’t allow others to shame you for your feelings or imply it’s a bad thing).

5. Sensitivity to loud noises.  

This is tough to deal with when you have children, especially little ones running wild in the house. Again, the loud noises are so overwhelming because you feel the shrieks, screams, and even loud laughter to the core.  It pierces your ears, and it’s uncomfortable.

You also sense the emotion simultaneously within the loud noise, causing a painful piercing to the ears that goes deep within. I struggle with this every day with my two girls, ages 6 and 3, screaming, fighting, yelling, etc., that I can’t take it some days, which leads to the next.

6. You need quiet.

It would help if you separated your energy from others’ energy. It can be overwhelming if you don’t do this regularly. Be still and get into alignment. I desperately need quiet. Not because I don’t want to be around my girls or cause I want alone time, but because I have to recharge and clear that energy I have taken on as my own. Otherwise, I become very irritated and angry, which is not my true self.

It takes time to realize what is your feelings or someone else’s. Take time through meditation and get centered on determining your feelings and what is someone else’s.

7. Expressing your feelings can be hard to verbalize.

You’re not able to express your feelings clearly.  It is not because you don’t know the emotion you’re feeling but because it is so overwhelming and profound that it is hard to put into words. You will soon realize that non-empaths do not feel as deeply as you do. Thus they have a hard time understanding your emotions at that level.

8. You Attract Energy Vampires

Empaths must be wary of energy vampires.  We all know energy vampires. People who feel like they are sucking the life out of you.  Yup, we all had that boss, friend, relative, or someone close to us that has done just that.

They take your positive energy, turn it into their negative energy, and draw you into their story, drama, or pity party. You walk away feeling drained of all your energy.

9. Intuitive beyond the norm.  

You use your intuition in everyday little things and follow it because you know without a doubt that it will not misguide you.  Also known as your gut feeling, just knowing, or that little voice. I listen to it even while driving, and I ask which way to go. Get an answer, and I go that way.  I don’t question it.

Perhaps, there was traffic the other way, a speed trap, or the potential for an accident. Don’t question, just do. Practice it in everyday life with the little things to develop it further.  Trust your intuition. Trust yourself.

10. Overwhelm of emotions from stress, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.  

I’ve experienced anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve had two panic attacks in my life and have no idea why they even hit, as there was no trigger that I could logically find. Both situations were one that I had been around highly stimulated people, and not being aware of my ability at the time led to me bringing that with me.

Being overloaded with emotions and not properly cleansing your energy can lead to anxiety and panic attacks. However, panic attacks can stem from other sources. Everyone is different, so this will impact each person differently. Be mindful of your feelings.

There are so many more traits that I can’t list them all here. Being an Empath can lead you to feel emotionally overwhelmed and drained. Practice journaling and meditation regularly to develop an outlet for these emotions. Even yoga provides the ability to move energy through your body and release it through the breath. Again, I also recommend cleansing your energy, known as smudging/sage.

Some estimates speculate 15-20% of the population have this ability or are HSP (Highly Sensitive People). Suppose you fall into this population to know how to protect your energy and develop your gift. We will discuss that more in my article Empath – 5 Ways To Protect Your Energy.

UPDATE 11/8/21

I recommend reading the following books to dive deeper into your Empathic abilities. You can also check out my reviews here.

I wish you peace and guidance on your journey.  Take care and be well.