Extreme Empaths

Posted by New Scientist on 21 March 2010 | 0 Comments

I used to love horror movies but as I have grown older I now find them quite gross and for me life is too short to watch gross stuff that just does not feel good.  Whilst it might feel uncomfortable to me just imagine not being able to watch anything like that without writhing around in agony!

This is the case for Jane Barrett , she writhes in agony whenever the actors on the screen feel pain. "When I see violence in films I have an extreme reaction," she says. "I simply have to close my eyes. I start to feel nauseous and have to breathe deeply."  She is just one of many people who suffer from a range of disorders that give rise to "extreme empathy". Some of these people, like Barrett, empathise so strongly with others that they experience the same physical feelings - whether it's the tickle of a feather or the cut of a knife. Others, who suffer from a disorder known as echopraxia, just can't help immediately imitating the actions of others, even in inappropriate situations.

 

Read more at New Scientist

Tags: Empath horror sensitivity emotions