I'm far too sensitive

For a contented life make as little use of social media as possible.

biglouis

For a contented life make as little use of social media as possible.

A simple yet great suggestion, thank you, will try 😊

The downside of being an empath is the ability to pick up other people's moods very easily .
They can't always be sunny and positive .
I've been described as an empath - so I know how you feel .
It's not easy .
I try to avoid situations , which I know are going to upset me .
And when I sense negatively in family and friends I pray for them .

I think being an empath makes you a wonderful, caring, and great to be around. You make the world a better place.

As for messages, the problem is that body language makes up the vast majority of communication and you don't see that in messages. Often messages are written in a hurry too.

I think it's very easy to have misunderstandings by messages, look at these forums I think it happens here.

I think messages should be to arrange things and not for conversation. You can't beat a coffee and chat.

Dare I ask, are you really an empath - or are you someone who sees off tones and push offs in the most innocent remark?

I had an uncle who could see negative remarks and put downs in the most innocent of remarks. It made conversation very difficult.

I have also, myself, assumed someone was saying something upsetting to me,when, when I went back over the message later realised I had got it completely wrong.

I do wonder how far someone like the OP is an empath, and how much someone who suffers from lack of self-esteem and sees put downs and negative attitudes in what other people do or say, or messages, because that is what their lack of self esteem leads them to expect. Were they to assume that there is no reason why anyone should put them down, therefore any supposedly off message is the result of them choosing to interpete the message that way, life would be much better and yhey would discover thta they were not as empathetic as they think.

There is a difference between being an empath and being paranoid. If people have to pussyfoot round you because you take offence at the slightest thing, you will soon find yourself totally alone.
I'm over-sensitive myself but I don't envy those who are thick-skinned. I think I have a greater appreciation of things, which they miss.

Never heard of an ‘empath’ before reading this thread.

Were they to assume that there is no reason why anyone should put them down

Good comment

I have never heard of this term either, however, I do think WhatsApp and texting messages can cause problems as they need to be short. The recipient feels there is no emotion or sympathy and gets upset. One friends messages sound quite babyish which isn’t the case face to face. Use as little as possible for real communication

Monica, your post resonated with me.

I often read into things which are not there and I do pick up on people's moods, assuming I must be the cause.

People are busy and tend to post short messages on social media, because they don't have time to linger. It is easy to think the messenger is being abrupt.

Your post doesn’t sound like an empathy to me. It shouts out me me
An empath has the ability to understand another person from their point of view.
If you felt that a WhatsApp message was off does it not cross your mind that someone is not happy.
If someone feels that your comments aren’t important that’s their prerogative.

I think one of the issues with the written word, rather than the spoken word, however it’s done, social media, email, letters, is that sometimes the we read it isn’t the way the person writing it intended it to come across.

Just take a deep breath and reread everything before you respond and try not to stress

Marydoll

*Monica*, your post resonated with me.

I often read into things which are not there and I do pick up on people's moods, assuming I must be the cause.

People are busy and tend to post short messages on social media, because they don't have time to linger. It is easy to think the messenger is being abrupt.

This is so true. Many people rattle off a quick response on social media, which may come across as abrupt or maybe even rather rude when seen in black and white, even if it wasn't meant that way.
I'm surprised people haven't heard of the term 'empath' before though. It's not uncommon.

Marydoll

*Monica*, your post resonated with me.

I often read into things which are not there and I do pick up on people's moods, assuming I must be the cause.

People are busy and tend to post short messages on social media, because they don't have time to linger. It is easy to think the messenger is being abrupt.

I completely agree. One of my dearest friends can be extremely abrupt on WhatsApp, very to the point, we often laugh about it!

Bit harsh there petra - or is that me being oversensitive!

I avoid the negative stuff on social media. You don’t need it, it’s not helpful, forget it! Really. Concentrate on face to face where you can see expressions and know what is really meant.

Monica, I know you have mentioned you have adhd. Have you seen this?

www.webmd.com/add-adhd/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria

Op I don’t think reading too much into texts I’d at all unusual but if you are finding this is causing you too much negativity, just reduce how much you text and call people instead x

That's me on WhatsApp etc, short and to the point. In fact I sometimes have to bulk out my messages a bit so they don't sound abrupt. That doesn't mean I don't care or sympathise with others.

As a child growing up in a frightening household, I developed antennae that could pick up every nuance. I also believed everything was my fault and it was up to me to put it right.

Coronation

I think being an empath makes you a wonderful, caring, and great to be around. You make the world a better place.

As for messages, the problem is that body language makes up the vast majority of communication and you don't see that in messages. Often messages are written in a hurry too.

I think it's very easy to have misunderstandings by messages, look at these forums I think it happens here.

I think messages should be to arrange things and not for conversation. You can't beat a coffee and chat.

Empath is one of those buzz words going around on social media. Don't be defined by hw you respond to such things.
Empathy requires exposure to real-life situations.
Social media isn't real- it is an illusion we create to help our navigation through this life, Sometimes it helps a lot, sometimes it hurts us.

You can use it, or be used by it.

Apart from that I agree with the above post and especially the last part.

Nothing meets a face to face chat or even a telphone call where you can hear the emotions in someone's voice.

Curlywhirly

Bit harsh there petra - or is that me being oversensitive!

Not at all. If I receive a message from friends or family that’s a bit snippy my first thought is oh, something not right in their world
I would often rely is everything ok
If someone doesn’t reply to a comment of mine I’m adult enough to understand that they’re just not interested.
I don’t go into oh, poor me nobody’s interested in what I have to say

An empath would be concerned about the person sending the text, perhaps reading too much into what is written and over worrying about the sender's feelings, situation etc.
Wrongly taking offence and assuming imagined criticism is quite the opposite of empathy.
I agree with Petra.

Messaging is OK for " See you at 8 o'clock"

Not great for being thoughtful or kind.

Pehaps OP your family members are short of time and just fire something off quickly?

zakouma66

As a child growing up in a frightening household, I developed antennae that could pick up every nuance. I also believed everything was my fault and it was up to me to put it right.

Same!