Healthy empaths are bright, warm, caring, and helpful people who always want to make the world a better place.
Unfortunately, these traits make them very appealing to people who might not treat them with the same tender care that the empath would give.
When an empath endures trauma, abuse, bullying, or other types of maltreatment, over time, they will become damaged and broken.
Their lively spirit will be dulled and theyll feel weak until they begin the healing process, but some empaths have no idea how to heal.
If youre interested in learning more about damaged empaths, stick around!
Because todays video is 7 Signs of a Damaged Empath & 3 Tips for Healing!
Be sure to stick around until the end because the last tip is the best one for healing empaths that weve ever heard!
Number 7: They become physically and emotionally exhausted.
Empaths are highly sensitive to their environments and the emotions of themselves and others.
They are known to absorb the emotions of the people around them like a sponge - if theyre around happy people, they feel happy; if theyre around someone sad, theyll feel their sadness.
However, when an empath is damaged, they will be prone to becoming physically and emotionally fatigued.
This can be due to being burnt out from harboring the emotions of those who damaged them and trying to console them, which can also be known as compassion fatigue.
It could also be that it is one of the few times their own emotions are so painful that theyre unable to blend into others to forget about their own pain, leaving them drained with no one to help them as they would for others.
Being an empath, especially one who feels broken or damaged, one can become physically and emotionally drained, wanting to isolate in order to recharge.
Number 6: Instead of being calm and warm, they may become easily frustrated, irritable, or confused by stimuli that wouldnt normally bother them.
Empaths are known for their kind heart, patience, and warmth.
Theyre always willing to help a stranger in need and they like to stay calm when in groups when tensions might get heated, acting as a mediator of conflict.
However, when an empath has been damaged, these natural kind characteristics of theirs become depleted.
Instead, they become easily irritable, confused, more likely to use sarcasm or other hurtful tones when communicating, and are in a state of bitterness.
Empaths tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves and it is usually apparent in their disposition and energy that something inside them is broken.
Usually empaths exude a welcoming air, giving the world the impression that theyre always there to listen.
But when an empath is broken, the invisible walls around her are locked up tight.
They need to conserve the remaining physical and emotional energy that they have for their self-preservation.
Number 5: They repeatedly find themselves in codependent relationships.
Empaths tend to have idealistic views of people and sometimes believe that they can fix everyone.
When empaths are damaged, sometimes they feel lost in the world, as they often find most of their fulfillment from helping others.
If they dont have a good support system, they might instead find themselves jumping into co-dependent relationships.
A damaged empath might find another broken person who they see themselves in, and feel confident that if they can fix them, then they will each be fulfilled and live a happy life together.
However, this idealistic thinking usually only damages an empath further.
An empath will deplete their own emotional and physical resources trying to improve their partner, making them dependent on the empath in turn.
The empath might feel as if it is their responsibility to make their codependent partner happy and stable, making them forget about their own wants and needs entirely.
If you or someone you know find yourselves in a pattern of co-dependent relationships, you might be wounded empaths.
Number 4: They may attract and become attracted to narcissists.
Empaths, especially damaged empaths, are easy targets for narcissists.
What makes it particularly easy is that the more damaged an empath is, the more likely they are to reciprocate the attraction and fall for a narcissists love bombs and manipulation techniques.
The narcissists grand romantic gestures and empty promises will make them appear like a hero, saving them from their broken selves.
Mirroring the empath so that the empath lets their guards down easily and become more vulnerable, the narcissist will seem like the perfect match for the empath.
It is then that the narcissist will begin soaking up the remaining empathy left in the damaged empath for their narcissistic supply.
The empath will be the weak toy the narcissist has been looking for, and soon, the empath will become drained from trying to please the narcissist, frustrated from the lack of respect given, confused by the manipulations, and too exhausted to fight back.
Eventually the narcissist discards the damaged empath, leaving them more broken than before.
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Number 3: Theyll find themselves sucked into other peoples drama despite not wanting to be involved.
Empaths, especially damaged empaths, tend to struggle with setting boundaries.
Occasionally, not setting boundaries with their friends, coworkers, or partners can lead to them getting dragged into peoples drama when they have no reason to.
Sometimes theyll believe that they can solve any conflict and will attempt to mediate the drama, but instead, end up feeling responsible for everyones hurt feelings and bear unnecessary stress.
They lose sleep talking on the phone, consoling a friend, and maybe even get shouted at for defending someone they shouldnt have.
Empaths arent ever dramatic out of malice, but sometimes their good intentions can make matters worse.
Its important for empaths to pick their battles and accept that they dont need to help everyone.
Number 2: They might turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope.
A sad reality is that anyone, empaths included, suffering from depression or other mental health problems may turn to substance abuse as a way of coping.
Because empaths experience their emotions so strongly, sometimes they will use alcohol or other drugs as a way to numb their feelings.
Using any substances as a coping mechanism can cause major physical health problems and make depressive symptoms worse.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substances, ask your doctor for help on how to address the issue.
Number 1: They may turn apathetic rather than empathetic.
If the empath has been damaged badly enough, their empathy and emotions might become so depleted that they become apathetic.
Once a warm, passionate, and enthusiastic person, an empath can become void and detached from their former interests and self.
They might feel that they have been hurt too many times before for trusting their emotions and letting their empathy guide them, and instead turn off all feelings, become numb, and not let anyone invade their emotional boundaries again.
An empath turning apathetic is a sad, but real possibility for many empaths who never let themselves heal their wounds.
If youre wondering how an empath begins the healing process, weve got a bonus for you!
We recommend that if anyone is feeling depressed, damaged, or broken, the best person to talk to is a doctor or therapist.
However, if you want a head start, here are three bonus tips for healing a damaged empath!
Number 3: Quit identifying yourself as a people pleaser or a fixer.
It is understandable that empaths want to take pride in their ability to help others, make people happy, and fix other peoples problems or conflicts.
Empathy is a virtue that is highly valued and of course, people want to identify as empaths.
However, it is important that if anyone does want to identify as an empath, they dont need to take the people pleaser or fixer traits to heart.
A great way to stop being taken advantage of by others is to stop identifying yourself as someone who would be taken advantage of.
This doesnt mean verbally or physically labeling yourself as those types of people, but if you ever find yourself mentally telling yourself you are a people pleaser, stop it.
By labeling yourself as this type, youll feel compelled to act accordingly when someone asks for help but you dont have the emotional resources to do so.
Every empath needs to remind themselves that they are more than just an empath.
They are more than helpers, fixers, and people pleasers.
They are their own individuals with their own unique identity and do not need to adhere to any expectations they dont feel comfortable with to make someone else happy.
Number 2: Stop holding onto your double standards.
Empaths are excellent at giving good, healthy, well thought out advice to others.
However, they arent the best at always taking their own advice.
Theyll often tolerate abuse or bullying far longer than they would tell anyone else to.
They might feel like they were responsible for or deserved the abuse or mistreatment.
Yet they would never let anyone else feel that way about themselves.
Thus, a great tip for damaged empaths is to stop the double standards they hold of themselves.
If an empath wouldnt advise their friend to behave in a certain way, then they should not either.
Number 1: Dont hold yourself responsible for other peoples emotions if you are confident youve done nothing wrong.
Similar to the last point, empaths need to learn to not hold themselves responsible for other peoples emotions.
Because of their good nature and desire to fix people, empaths often feel like it is up to them to make people happy and comfortable even if it means sacrificing their own well-being.
An empath needs to remind themselves that while it is fine to try their best at making people happy, at the end of the day, they are only responsible for their own emotions.
If someone is unhappy by the way an empath is behaving, and the empath is confident their behavior is acceptable, then it is not the empaths responsibility to change to make the other person happy.
The other person can either learn to accept the behavior or simply leave.
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