Serious question, but I think being too empathetic can mess with your own head...

I saw a counselor after always feeling tired from listening to friends' problems... She told me I was carrying their stress like it was mine. Now I believe empathy should have a cutoff point to keep you okay. Most folks say empathy is only positive, but it can wear you out if you don't watch it. It's something I'm learning to handle better day by day...

4 comments

4 Comments

oliviabutler9h ago

Oh, I heard a podcast call it 'compassion fatigue' once.

the_mia9h ago

Last year, a nursing study showed compassion fatigue rates at 40%. I see it differently, though. @oliviabutler, the podcast might use that term, but in my experience, it's often just burnout from high-stress jobs. Calling it compassion fatigue can blame the worker instead of fixing the real problems.

the_hannah1h ago

Wait what?! 40% is actually crazy... that's way too many people just trying to do their jobs.

the_laura7h ago

On the "WorkLife" podcast, they used compassion fatigue as a buzzword last month. It's everywhere now, turning real struggles into shallow talk.