12 Odd Behaviors Of True Empaths That Average People Don't Relate To
Empaths have a few habits that average people simply don't understand.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock Empaths are people who are highly sensitive to the emotions and needs of others. It's estimated that 1-2% of the population are empaths, meaning they pick up on the energies of those around them, have strong intuition, feel connected to nature, and need alone time to recharge after being around others.
But there are certain odd behaviors of true empaths that average people don't relate to, all of which set them apart from everyone else. Because although many people claim to have empathic tendencies, their actions may say otherwise.
Here are 12 odd behaviors of true empaths that average people don't relate to
1. Pinpointing other people's feelings without saying a word
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True empaths are able to detect how a person is feeling without saying anything at all. While most people are terrible at telling how other people are feeling — research by organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich found that despite 95% of people believing they're self-aware, only 10% to 15% actually are — empaths seem to pick up on others' emotions almost immediately.
But empaths are different. While in a room with other people, they can find ways to pinpoint other people's emotions, thanks to their strong intuition and ability to pick up on nonverbal cues. And by doing so, they tend to unconsciously change their behavior in the process.
2. Feeling the physical symptoms someone is experiencing
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When empaths are around people experiencing physical symptoms, they may feel a tightening in their chest, a pain in their gut, or take on the signs of a disease or illness. It's an odd behavior of true empaths that average people don't relate to, and it can be just as debilitating as absorbing another person's mental state.
Though this behavior might sound strange to an average person, constantly absorbing negative energy isn't healthy. That's why it's important for empaths to protect themselves in any way they can, whether that means recharging with alone time, steering clear of populated areas, or practicing meditation.
3. Expressing their creative side
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According to an Adobe Survey from 2016, only 41% of people consider themselves to be creative, and only about one-quarter of those surveyed feel like they are fulfilling their creative potential. But for true empaths, it's part of who they are, and they use these creative outlets to offset some of the energy they take on.
Whether it's painting, drawing, knitting, or photography, true empaths find comfort in engaging in creative activities. And it relates to their emotional intelligence. A study in Business Perspectives and Research found a positive and significant relationship between emotional intelligence and creativity in the workplace, specifically.
4. Observing people's energy to detect lying
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Another odd behavior of true empaths that average people don't relate to is their ability to detect lying just by observing another person's energy. While a study from Psychological Science found that everyone has the instincts necessary to tell when someone is lying, most people allow their conscious mind to override their instincts.
But true empaths allow their instincts to guide them. They trust their gut when it tells them someone isn't being truthful, and stay away from people who aren't trustworthy, as their negative energy tends to drain them.
Of course, people lie about all sorts of things on a daily basis. Whether it's at work or at home, they may tell little white lies or lie by omission. But either way, empaths are attuned to these lies and find a way to limit contact with these people as much as possible.
5. Feeling deep compassion towards strangers
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Many people don't have the capacity to be compassionate towards strangers. Living in a world full of danger and uncertainty, they would rather turn a blind eye than help someone in need. However, empaths don't play by societal rules, and let their intuition and empathy guide them to help others.
Lending a hand to someone in need isn't always so easy, as people may be scared of someone using their kindness to their advantage. But for those that choose kindness, there are endless benefits, as a study from the Journal of Social Psychology found that people feel happier when they act in service to others.
Even if someone isn't an empath and is just an average person, there's a lot of good in going out of one's way to be kind to others. And pushing through that initial fear might just have a bigger impact on their mental health than they ever realized.
6. Staying outside as long as possible
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When people think of the last time they went outside for a long period of time, they may say it was on the drive to work, going to get their mail, or perhaps from when they were a child and played outdoors before dinner.
And the fact that many people don't spend time outdoors is a bit concerning. One study published in Psychiatry Investigation found that during stay-at-home periods in 2020, 60.11% of people experienced depression, 46.91% experienced irritability, and 53.09% experienced sleep disturbances.
For empaths, especially earth empaths, they have a strong connection to nature and tend to spend a good amount of time outside. As a study in Frontiers in Psychology found, spending just 20-30 minutes outdoors can reduce stress. And for empaths, it's a way for them to recharge after their energy is drained.
7. Experiencing intense dreams or nightmares
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Because they take on the emotions and sometimes physical sensations of others, empaths may have very vivid and intense dreams or nightmares. According to research presented by the American Psychological Association, nightmares can increase anxiety and stress that bleed over into our waking lives.
Unfortunately, most empaths have nightmares as a result of constantly hanging around negative energy in their day-to-day life. Not having anywhere to put this negative energy, they carry the heaviness with them until their head hits the pillow. During their rest period, empaths can process their emotions, but it can also result in intense nightmares.
It's important for empaths to find time to unwind before going to sleep. That means meditating, journaling, or finding other outlets to expel that energy.
8. Never reading anything dark or depressing
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Because empaths already absorb so much negative energy in their daily lives, it's no surprise that they tend to steer clear of reading anything that's too depressing or dark. When they do read books that are darker in theme, whether fiction or nonfiction, they absorb the emotions of the characters in the text.
One empath described their experience with reading, saying, "The 'reflection' period that other readers go through as they read, where they connect to the text seeing characters' emotions and actions at a distance, is intensified for me as an empath. I feel as if I've been written into the story and am on an emotional rollercoaster embarking on a chaotic journey with the characters."
Empaths don't want to feel overwhelmed by exposing themselves to anything remotely negative. Instead, they choose to read things that are more positive and uplifting.
9. Overdoing self-care
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Self-care is great for reviving mental and physical health. Research from the International Journal of Nursing Studies found that engaging in self-care leads to better well-being, and lower morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. But there is such a thing as too much self-care, as true empaths know well.
Spending endless hours logging thoughts, feelings, and doing their best to relax can have the opposite effect and make empaths feel worse. Unfortunately, in their mind, they truly believe that if they don't do everything they can to practice self-care, the negative energy they experience daily will grow.
10. Over-explaining themselves
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Whether it's a romantic relationship or a friendship, most people would rather avoid conflict than keep obsessing over the same thing. But one of the odd behaviors of true empaths that average people don't relate to is their tendency to over-explain. Even in situations that aren't tense, they just don't know when to stop revealing information.
According to licensed social worker Kaytee Gillis, "Often, people overexplain when they worry that they are not being heard, understood, or believed." For example, if an empath has plans but doesn't want to go out, they will talk on and on about all the reasons they wish to stay in, instead of simply saying, "I don't want to go out tonight."
They want to connect with others and don't want to cause any upset. But as a result, they feel an immense pressure to ramble on and on, causing others to grow increasingly frustrated with their lack of clarity.
11. Shying away from overly positive people
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It might sound contradictory for empaths to want to avoid shy people, but there's a huge difference between authentic positivity and toxic positivity. People aren't happy about everything in life, of course. We all have bad days and things don't always work out in our favor.
But constantly faking positivity or happiness is a recipe for disaster, as emotional suppression is really bad for mental health. In fact, one study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology determined that people who are shamed by others for not thinking positively tend to suppress their emotions. These people then become more preoccupied with those feelings, but don't know how to deal with or overcome them.
True empaths can sense this emotional suppression, and may remove themselves from the situation to recharge. It's essential for them to take a step back to keep their own emotions in check.
12. Actively growing and evolving
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Most people are resistant to change. According to professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, people resist change for a variety of reasons, including feeling uncertain and fearing a loss of control. But for true empaths, they embrace change as a way to improve their lives.
While other people might feel content to sit idly by and do nothing to change their experience and their lives, empaths have a strong desire to make change as they deeply relate to others and their experiences. They find ways to educate themselves and challenge the status quo. And while it may seem odd to the average person, it's what makes an empath so unique.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.