When KINDNESS Is Just an ACT

Have you ever met someone who seemed very empathetic, but all their assumptions about what you were feeling were wrong? Perhaps you even come away feeling even more misunderstood. If so, you may have met a fake empath instead of a genuine one. They may tell you things you don't relate to or point out qualities that are inaccurate. If you've had these experiences, here are five signs of a fake empath. Number one, they want to diagnose you. Have you ever tried opening up to someone close to you only to end up feeling like your problems got worse? Fake empaths will tell you how you're feeling and why you're feeling this way. Instead of simply trying to understand and be there for you, they'll try to analyze and diagnose, which may only make you feel worse than before. In contrast, genuine empaths will take the time to hear you out. Try to understand your situation and provide you with the comfort and support you need. Number two, they can't stand being wrong. Fake empaths cannot stand being corrected when they make a wrong assumption about you. This stems from the belief that they have a special ability to understand others, that their assumptions are always accurate and right. So telling them that they were wrong or saying no might end up shattering their ego and cause them to become very defensive. They may even start telling you that you're wrong about your own feelings. Genuine empaths, on the other hand, will be more likely to understand that there's always room for error and be remorseful and apologetic when their assumptions are wrong. Number three, they will point out your negative feelings. Fake empaths want to make you feel like they know and understand exactly what you feel. So, they may go out of their way to pinpoint emotions you'd rather keep to yourself. This may mean pointing out and letting everyone know when you're upset, in grief, or in pain. In this way, they can show others their special ability to feel what others are feeling, although without much consideration to how it may end up hurting that person. Number four, they want everyone to know that they're empaths. Are they always telling people how accurate their abilities are? Another sign of a fake empath is if they're always announcing it to everyone everywhere. This can mean seizing every opportunity to put the spotlight on them. In comparison, empaths don't require or desire the attention and concern that comes with disclosing their ability. After all, if you say you can sense other people's emotions, you'll probably get a lot of questions about it. And whilst a genuine empath may not appreciate these questions, a fake one would love the attention. And number five, they blame emotional influence. True empaths can feel and understand the emotional experiences of the people around them, which can sometimes be exhausting and impact their own emotions. However, even if it can affect how they feel, they won't allow it to have a detrimental impact on those around them. This may mean removing themselves from a situation for some time to avoid upsetting their family or friends if their feelings become too powerful. In stark contrast, fake empaths will use this as a reason to justify their bad moods and unpleasant behavior. So, do you think you've met a fake empath? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this video with those who may benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych to Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks so much for watching and see you in our next video.