All my life I have always been able to physically feel what another feels. When someone falls on those "Funniest Videos" I immediately feel the pain. I can look at someone sitting in a chair (do this a lot in long boring office meetings) and feel the chair beneath them, the pen in their hand, their fabric texture, etc. I've always thought this was normal - that everyone experienced it. And I've always wondered if there was a name for this phenomenom...experiencing physical sensation from simply observing another person experience the sensation So I just happened to mention this today and no-one I asked had ever experienced it. "So when you see someone twist their ankle in a movie, you don't feel it?" "No"

Does anyone know if there is a name for this? Closest I can get to an answer is that I fit the description of an Empath accept in addition to feeling emotional feelings I get the physical feelings as well. And now it seems the more I investigate the more I see that being an Empath is tied to being psychic or telepathic. I've always known I've had psychic abilities which has been hard for me to accept seeing as how I am a Christian and was raised to believe psychic abilities were "the devil's work"

So spare me the New Age mumbo jumbo and just give me the facts please. Do I need to reserve a cell in the loony bin?

quote:

Originally posted by Georgia85: Do I need to reserve a cell in the loony bin?

Yes.

Empathy doesn't only refer to Psychic. It can refer to the physical as well.

I have experienced similar things that you are describing.. mostly in relation to the sort of work I do.

So are you agreeing that the above mentioned phenomenom would be described as physical empathy? Sorry, I'm not sensing your thoughts right now....

Georgia, I don't know what you would call it either but I know what you mean. I hate watching those flicks of people falling down that are suppose to be funny. I can't say that I really feel their pain but I sure don't see the humor. Can't stand to watch car racing for fear of seeing a wreck! Don't understand why it's a such a popular sport. When I watch the news and see someone crying, I'm crying right along with them.
I'm not trying to compare my reactions to yours---yours are so much more magnified than mine. Just wanted to let you that I know where you're coming from, that's all. You are almost having something like an "out-of-body" experience; yeah, that's how I'd label it but certainly not crazy.

I have felt, not to the same extreme, but still physically felt another's pain. Usually when describing eye surgery...or another type of 'sensitive' area for me.

Funny bone injuries, eye surgery or injury...stuff like that, I will actually feel sensitive in that area and cringe. I don't get actually pain though.

But, then again, I belong in a loony bin too

I think Physical Empathy would be a good label for what you are describing.

As for those programs that show people getting smacked in the head, falling, etc... I NEVER find them funny.

Yeah Sher, I don't find them funny either. In fact, you know when they do intros into those type of shows where they show one falling/ sliding/stumbling mishap after the other? I have to look away because I'm bombarded with the physical feelings and it starts to become way to uncomfortable for me.

And Shel, "funny bone" incidents are a good example. If I see someone hit their's I immediately get the tingle. It's like seeing someone yawn or even reading about yawning...you start yawning yourself. I read in a journal that a latest study indicates that if you yawn just by reading about it you are extremely empathetic. Yup, believe we are onto something here.

And thanks for your input Kelley I'm not ready to go with the "out of body" theory. I'm very aware of what's happening in my body

Those home video shows seem to be more about showing how amateurish people can be at being funny (or capturing something funny worth watching). We really shouldn't be expecting physical comedy from non-professional comedians to be funny, anyway. Every now and then you'll get one where someone's cat does something completely unexpected and it's just crazy!

I think it's the power of association. I think this because the feeling is stronger as time goes on and as I've been in more situations, experienced more feelings myself. Seeing someone in pain can bring you back to the time when you felt pain yourself. Embarrassment is definitely that way... seeing someone go through something really awkward takes me to times when I've felt that way.

I guess empathy is what that is.

This gif image will be a good test to see how you all react. I just happened to "stumble" across it a few mins ago. I'm eating lunch and doing some research. I go to a forum site where someone has this image running... I had to put down my sandwich and look away because I was in pain. You look at it....do you feel normal or are you bombarded with cold shivers down your spine, tingles in your legs, aches in your chest...

I am also able to be physical emphatic as well