Are you someone who feels like they’re constantly being taken advantage of? Do you feel drained and overwhelmed by other people’s emotions? Well, chances are you’re an empath. And you probably are feeling these things because you’re a broken empath. It’s time to pay attention because, in this topic, we’re going to reveal 10 powerful warning signs that your empathic abilities may be broken.
If you’re an empath, then you know how wonderful and exhausting it can be to feel everything so deeply. See, as an empath, you are one of the kindest, most optimistic, compassionate, and generous individuals people will ever meet in their lifetime.
You’re a sensitive individual who can be described as an emotional sponge, absorbing other people’s emotions, both positive and negative. But due to your selflessness and overflowing kindness, you are prone to being manipulated and abused by other people, such as narcissists. Your empathic abilities can start taking a toll on your mental and emotional well-being. We don’t want that to happen.
So, read until the end because you will discover the 10 red flags that indicate one’s empathic powers are out of balance.
Number 1: They develop an eating disorder.
Broken empaths might find themselves more susceptible to developing eating disorders. This could manifest as either overeating or loss of appetite. This is because some of them tend to turn to food or drinks as a way to cope and seek comfort.
As such, empaths are susceptible to developing a reliance on stress eating. This can take a toll on an empath’s overall well-being, leading to health issues like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol levels, basically various issues associated with excessive weight gain.
After all, your body has a way of making you pay for what you’ve been putting in. It’s just its nature. On the flip side, some empaths may find themselves losing their appetite and lacking the energy or enthusiasm to eat, even when someone gives them their favorite food.
This can put them at risk of developing conditions like ulcers, anorexia, hyperacidity, and other ailments related to losing too much weight or rapid weight loss.
Number 2: They become emotionally numb.
Once empaths have exhausted themselves by releasing all the unnecessary emotions they’re feeling, including those they absorbed from others, they reach a point where they become emotionally numb. This state is not a conscious choice, but rather a defense mechanism that kicks in to protect them from further emotional harm.
At this stage, no matter what harm their abusers inflict upon them, they don’t even feel anything. They are so emotionally numb that they even become devoid of feeling pain and sadness, to the point that they can’t even cry.
These broken empaths also stop engaging or reacting to external stimuli, which others may mistakenly interpret as heartlessness or coldness. It’s important to understand that this emotional numbness is not a sign of indifference or lack of empathy, but rather a means of self-preservation.
Empaths also find themselves in a state of confusion when they become emotionally numb. To be precise, they become unsure of which emotions to embrace or reject. This state of confusion further compounds their emotional struggle and can lead to a decline in their overall sensitivity and levels of empathy.
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Number 3: They develop trust issues.
After going through multiple instances of betrayal, cheating, and manipulation, empaths develop trust issues as a defense mechanism to protect themselves from being deceived again. These experiences shape their perception of others, making it difficult for them to trust easily. Also, their intuition also takes a significant hit due to the overwhelming fear and lack of trust they harbor.
They can struggle to reconnect with their instincts, which previously acted as their reliable guides, leading them toward the right direction and the right people. Fear becomes the dominant emotion that influences their decision-making process, especially when it comes to allowing others into their lives. And can you blame them for being cautious?
After enduring immense pain and abuse despite their genuine kindness, compassion, and love for others, it’s only natural for them to become suspicious of people’s intentions. They become hyper-vigilant and cautious, especially when dealing with people who seem overly eager to become close to them.
Number 4: They become disinterested in anything.
Empaths have this natural enthusiasm that just attracts people, especially narcissists, because of their positive energy. And you know what else is amazing about them? They are also incredibly adaptable when it comes to social and emotional situations. That is, they can easily adjust their emotions to match those of others. It’s like they’re masters of navigating different social dynamics and truly understanding the people around them. But here’s the thing.
It’s important to remember that an empath’s level of enthusiasm isn’t constant. It can quickly change, depending on the environment they’re in and the people they’re interacting with. As such, it’s possible for them to also lose that enthusiastic spirit. In fact, this is what happens when empaths become broken.
When they’re in that state, they lose interest and excitement in practically everything and everyone. Even the most sensitive and responsive empath becomes unresponsive to external influences. And you know what’s worse? This loss of their enthusiasm lasts for an incredibly long time. It’s not just a passing thing with a broken empath.
It can stick with them throughout the day, even stretching across weeks, months, or even years. Depending on how they cope with it, they can linger in this state for quite a while.
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Number 5: They have nothing left to offer others.
When empaths are drained, and stripped of their natural qualities of compassion, kindness, and generosity by the relentless manipulation and abuse of others, they find themselves in a state of complete emptiness.
It’s like instead of extending their hands to uplift and support, they discreetly tuck away their hands in their pockets, not to retrieve something they can give others but to protect what little is left with them. And in their lowest moments, empaths struggle to find the strength and love to care for themselves, making it difficult to extend the empathy, solace, or assistance they once effortlessly provided.
As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” And for empaths, this is painfully true. The journey to heal and replenish their spirit becomes crucial, for only then can they regain their ability to offer their unique brand of empathy and support to those who truly deserve it.
Number 6: They become depressed.
Depression is the ultimate sign of broken empaths. It’s this all-encompassing force that happens when a broken empath experiences all the signs we’ve outlined in our list. For empaths, depression shows up in different ways. One of the most noticeable effects is that they lose interest in things they used to love, like their hobbies, passions, and even their dreams.
To them, the stuff that used to bring them joy and fulfillment just feels empty and meaningless now. That’s not all. The weight of depression can make even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming, sapping them of their energy and motivation. Plus, it can make empaths think about death as an escape from all those overwhelming emotions they’re feeling and that constant sense of loneliness.
But it’s important to remember that these thoughts are rooted in the immense suffering broken empaths go through, not from a desire to harm themselves.
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Number 7: They feel emotionally exhausted.
Empaths are often called emotional sponges because they have this amazing ability to soak up the emotions of others. And as you can imagine, this can be quite exhausting for them. When an empath is broken, you know they’ve reached their limit of emotional absorption.
They can no longer cope with the weight of other people’s emotions on top of their own struggles. Think about it. What happens when you dip a dry, featherlight sponge into a bucket of water? As soon as you lift that sponge from the bucket of water, you can feel that it has become heavier, right? And the more water it absorbs, the heavier it gets. Well, the same goes for empaths.
When they soak up a whole bunch of emotions from different people, it doesn’t take long for them to start carrying those burdens in their hearts. Then, they get so emotionally drained from taking in all these feelings that they tend to forget about their mental well-being. Then, they get so emotionally drained from taking in all these feelings that they tend to forget about their mental well-being.
Number 8: They develop sleep disorders.
Empaths who are broken often experience sleep disorders. Some may have trouble sleeping, and develop insomnia because they can’t stop overthinking and feeling anxious at night. They keep replaying different moments to try to figure out if they did something wrong to deserve mistreatment from others, especially narcissists.
On the other hand, some empaths find comfort in sleeping excessively. They lack the motivation and energy to get out of bed because they struggle to find meaning or purpose in their lives. These broken empaths use sleep as an escape from the pain and suffering caused by others. It’s important to note that the exhaustion felt by empaths is not the usual kind that can be fixed by having a good night’s sleep.
Number 9: They prefer to be alone.
Broken empaths go through a phase where they develop a fear of interacting with others because of the pain they’ve endured. They end up isolating themselves, thinking it will protect them from further harm. At first, they experience a whole range of emotions like despair, guilt, self-pity, and loneliness.
But as time goes by, they start getting used to being alone, even finding comfort in their own company. And during this period of isolation, empaths can learn to be self-sufficient and take charge of their well-being.
They learn to embrace their flaws, mistakes, and weaknesses, and eventually, they learn to love themselves unconditionally, without caring about what others think or how they’re treated.
Number 10: They lose themselves.
When empaths are broken, there comes a moment when they start questioning who they are because of the impact of the abuse inflicted by their tormentors. They struggle with their core identity, becoming filled with doubts about their abilities, worth, and talents due to the demeaning and manipulative tactics used by their abusers.
As empaths go through the process of healing and moving forward, it’s natural for them to temporarily lose themselves. And you know what? Sometimes, we do need to be lost to find ourselves again.
