Empath's are people who place high on the Empathy Spectrum. Empath's are capable of feeling and sensing what other people's energy is executing in their own bodies.
Can you spot the difference between a regular brain and an Empath brain? Often as Empath's we can tell we are gifted, even without the label of being one. I want to be able to break down the differences between the Empath brain compared to the normal human brain development , so that we can better understand ourselves on a chemical and scientific level.
There are several differences between the normal human brain development and the Empath brain that are intriguing to learn about and to better understand ourselves.
The Mirror Neuron System:
Research has been completed over the years that has came to a conclusion that Empath's have a specialized group of brain cells that are responsible for compassion. In normal human function these cells enable everyone to be able to mirror emotions of others. To be able to feel another's sense of pain, fear, happiness, joy or sadness. As Empath's we have hyper responsive mirror neurons. This allows us to deeply connect and resonate with other people and their feelings. This occurs when mirror neurons are triggered by external events outside of us. To better understand this, here is an example: if you surround yourself with people who are always in a happy and positive mindset, then you will feel happy and positive too. Not only for only because of the topics are light and refreshing, but you are feeling these emotions on their behalf as well. Similar occurrence when you associate yourself with people that are often angry or negative.
Electromagnetic Fields:
. It's important to remember that everything is made up of energy. Everything has it's own energy frequency. The human brain and heart are capable of generating electromagnetic fields. Researchers have said these fields transmit information about people's emotions and thoughts. Empaths are particularly sensitive to this input and can be overwhelmed by it. Empaths have similar occurrences with physical and emotional responses to changes in the electromagnetic fields of the earth and sun. Another example is sometimes Empath's themselves have such a strong energy field that often our electronics cannot keep up with us because our energetic signals we release are so strong that it will physically stop our laptops, televisions or cellphones from working and they can power down. We can also experience electromagnetic fields through picking up energy from the carpet. Although this isn't necessarily particular for Empaths, it is can help us better understand. When our feet shuffle against the carpet and we touch another person we are capable of sending a shock to the other person. With Empaths sometimes we don't need the carpet to pick up the shock and can actually experience a show that seems to appear out of nowhere.
Emotional Contagion:
Research has shown that Empaths pick up on the emotions of energy around them. Emotional cues are so miniscule that we don't always pick up on physical cues. Sometimes we aren't always conscious when we pick up on the emotional cues of others. For instance when you're in a good mood and you hear an angry song, despite being in a good mood, you can take on the emotions of the song and become angry. Just like when a baby is in a hospital wing and starts to cry, the other babies around it will tune into the emotions and create a wave of crying babies, Same thing happens when you're at your workplace and a coworker seems to be anxious over an experience. It will not take long for others to pick up on their anxiety and start feeling the same way. With these experiences we have the ability to synchronize moods with others. Remember to be mindful of who you surround yourself with on a regular basis and try your best to ground when others vent to you and around you.
Increased Dopamine Sensitivity:
Another finding that shows the Empath brain is different is dopamine. A neurotransmitter that increases the activity of neurons in the brain. These are associated with our pleasure response. Empaths that are extroverts tend to need more dopamine, than introvert Empaths who have a higher sensitivity. Introverts requiring less dopamine, is beneficial for them, as they need less dopamine to be happy. Because of this introverted Empaths tend to enjoy more alone time, reading and meditation. Although both introverted and extroverted Empaths don't necessarily enjoy the overwhelming feeling of social hangover from large crowds, extroverts Empaths tend to have a higher tolerance to the crowds, as long as the energy is positive.
Synesthesia:
The fifth and final finding that separates Empaths is a state called "mirror-touch synesthesia." Synesthesia is a neurological condition where two different senses are paired in the brain at the same time. For example seeing colours when you hear a word or piece of music or "tasting" a word. With mirror-touch synesthesia, people feel the emotions and sensations of others in their own bodies, as if their emotions belonged to their own being.