What it really means to be an empath
Empath (noun):
A person with the ability to sense and absorb the emotions, energy, and feelings of others.
Being an empath means your nervous system is highly attuned to emotional environments. You don't just notice feelings — you experience them as if they're your own.
This often developed as a survival mechanism, where reading emotional cues kept you safe. Over time, it became your default way of navigating the world.
The definition is accurate.
But it doesn't explain what living this way actually feels like — or how to find relief.