By now, you’ve probably run a quick Google search and may still feel unsure, confused, curious or think I’m full of crap. All valid.
According to folks who study this personality trait as a science, an Empath is technically described as being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). HSPs experience a hypersensitivity to external stimuli and are equipped with a deep level of cognitive processing based on high emotional reactivity. The term HSP was coined by psychologists Elaine and Arthur Aron in the mid 1990’s. According to the Arons and their colleagues, about 15% of the population express this personality trait. The difference between HSPs and non HSPs is how sensory data, external stimuli and naturally occurring vibrations are processed; in HSPs, this data is processed more deeply due to the constriction of their central nervous system, the part consisting of the brain and spinal cord. Science!
So back to Empaths; all Empaths are Highly Sensitive People, but not all HSPs are Empaths. What makes Empaths different? Specifically, Empaths account for about 1-2% of the population and are defined as individuals with a preternatural ability to understand, perceive and sometimes physically feel the emotional state of another individual. Creepy, right!?
