Many things lead to fatigue. Stress from your working environment or a relationship may cause you to feel tired and drained. But, simply having to pay attention to your family and/or friends during a get-together or over the holidays could also cause a drain. But did you know that empathy leading to fatigue may also be a factor? Or, in other words, that your feelings of empathy could result in you feeling deeply fatigued and even suffering from insomnia?
Most of us feel sympathy or empathy when we hear about someone who is in a difficult situation. At times, however, empathy leading to fatigue may result when we find ourselves very close to someone and not being able to distance ourselves from them and their feelings. We may start absorbing their feelings and emotions. This may result in a sensory overload that leaves us feeling drained.
Many psychological disorders show a tendency towards the opposite of empathy. These are disorders in which the person has no feelings of empathy towards others. Some of these disorders are psychopathy, narcissistic personality disorders, certain autistic spectrum disorders, and alexithymia. Alexithymia is where someone has difficulty identifying or describing their feelings while being unable to distinguish them from physical arousal.
Humans are sociable creatures, so we rely not only on verbal communication but also speech inflections and body language. These are helpful to gauge someone’s responses and emotions. All our actions are the result of our response to other people. But it is not this simple. To a large extent, our evaluations of other people’s responses to us determine our actions. Our empathy level is the result of our communication with others, both verbal and non-verbal. It also includes our self-awareness and reasoning processes. In this case, your autonomic nervous system may play a role.
Your autonomic nervous system goes through stages. The first is the perception of a threat. The second is where your metabolic output is increased as a result of your flight-or-fight response. The third is when your heart rate increases and you do something about the situation. The latter could mean running, fighting, or some type of threatening behavior to get your threat to leave you alone.
The process described above is the result of your NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response which consists of your brain, autonomic nervous system, and microbiome. Your NEM is interconnected, so a problem in one component affects the other sections of the system. This triad, the gut, brain, and autonomic nervous system makes use of neurotransmitters to communicate.
Your autonomic nervous system itself has five branches. These include the sympathetic nervous system, adrenomedullary hormonal system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. These are governed by the actions of the NEM, over which you have no conscious control.
Your sympathetic nervous system is activated once the stress is perceived. As soon as the stress becomes more severe, your adrenomedullary hormonal system comes into play. The parasympathetic nervous system helps your body slow down and rest. Your fight-or-flight response starts immediately once the stress is perceived, and it is linked to the sympathetic nervous system.
One of the neurotransmitters used in the autonomic nervous system is called norepinephrine. Once the adrenomedullary system is triggered due to increased stress, a more potent neurotransmitter, i.e. epinephrine, is released. After the stress is managed, then the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Then your body goes into a period of rest to recuperate.
Stress could be caused by having to deal with other people and their emotions. Therefore, empathy leading to fatigue is not uncommon. While most of us are sympathetic towards the needs and emotions of others, we tend to have a switch in our brains that says ‘enough’. However, at times you may find yourself being very sensitive towards someone’s feelings, especially if the person is close to you. This person could be your partner, a family member, or a close friend. You may find that you are unable to distance yourself from the situation. This results in stress that is difficult to deal with, and adrenal fatigue may even result.
Continued stress leads to an increase in stress hormone production. The parasympathetic system may not be activated to send your body into a desired state of rest. This constant stress, if unaddressed, could result in numerous health issues. The adrenal glands are a part of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the NEM stress response. The adrenal glands serve to deliver higher quantities of cortisol (the stress hormone). Fatigue may not be the only result, as other seemingly unrelated health conditions may also arise.
If you are close to someone who is going through a hard time, empathy leading to fatigue is quite exhausting. The constant stress you experience, may not only tire you mentally but also tax your physical strength in the long run. You may also undergo some adverse psychological symptoms, as stress starts affecting you on a subliminal level. You may become negative, pessimistic, anxious, or depressed.
Empathy leading to fatigue can be managed on different levels. You may not be able to change your physical environment or the people around you. But, you can make certain lifestyle and dietary changes to help you cope.
One of the things many people have difficulty with is saying ‘no’ to others. If you are one of these persons, you may need to learn how to protect your personal space. This can only be done by setting certain boundaries. This may mean limiting your exposure to those individuals who cause you stress. It’s best to choose to spend time with positive people and regularly set aside some ‘me’ time. You may then be able to limit the mental strain imposed on you by your empathy towards others.
The effects of empathy leading to fatigue may often be mitigated by meditation. This often includes deep breathing to allow you to calm down. You will find your inherent strength and positivity, and in so doing, give your body the tools it needs to heal from within. Various research suggests that meditation could be beneficial in blood pressure control. You may also be less irritable, and experience less anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Visualization is a process where you mentally create an image of what you want. This may be an image of a particularly calm place or one where you see yourself succeed in a particular task. You then repeat this exercise for about five minutes a day, every day. The process soon becomes easier.
In the case of empathy leading to fatigue, you could visualize a scenario whereby you are in a calm space with a protective shield surrounding you. Try to be as specific as you can, imagining that this shield does not allow any negativity in. In contrast, this space around you is filled only with positivity. Visualization may be an effective tool in protecting you against negativity while helping your healing process.
While your diet may not seem important, it may be one of the tools you can use in cases of empathy leading to fatigue. In many cases, your diet could add to your stress, especially if you eat poorly when you are stressed. However, research indicates that a healthy diet comprising all food groups (minus processed foods), gives your body the nutritional elements it needs to effectively heal.
Many people feel as if they are constantly bombarded with negativity from their environment. Experiencing empathy leading to fatigue as a result of this is not uncommon, and can also lead to other health conditions. It can also impact your adrenal function, cause stress, and result in adrenal fatigue. However, by taking care of yourself, you can limit the impact of this effect. Here's how:
Always remember that you can't take care of other people if you aren't healthy yourself. If you're struggling with this, give our team a call on +1 (626) 571-1234 or click here to get more information and support.
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Empathy leading to fatigue may very well impact your adrenal function. This is because the negative emotions experienced in your environment may cause stress in your body. If left unchecked, this could compromise your adrenal function and ultimately result in adrenal fatigue.
