[ISFP] SFPs and physical empathy (other types welcome)

[maliafee]

So, I was complementing Sarah on her fox picture, because I love foxes, and it reminded me of something about myself that I've always wondered about.

I'd like to call it physical empathy (makes sense to me). When I read about/see footage of something painful, I feel bad for the animal or person experiencing it, yes, but overwhelmingly I feel an uncomfortable physical sensation relating to what's happening to them.

This doesn't happen exactly every time I see something like that, but often.

For instance, I once read about a fox having to gnaw his own leg off to get out of getting caught in a bear trap, and my leg actually felt physically disturbed... it felt like IT was being gnawed, without the level of pain I'm sure the fox had to feel. Even if I think about this, and yes, while I write this, my leg feels physically uncomfortable for the poor fox.

Physical empathy.

This might extend beyond empathy to other emotions.

When I'm very depressed, my hands and feet hurt with sharp nerve pains.

Anyone, I was just wondering if other SFPs (or any other type, for that matter, or any other people ) shared what I experience as a very physical emotional response.

Malia
ISFP

 

[Udog]

I'd like to call it physical empathy (makes sense to me). When I read about/see footage of something painful, I feel bad for the animal or person experiencing it, yes, but overwhelmingly I feel an uncomfortable physical sensation relating to what's happening to them.

Wow, this is incredibly interesting! I hope other ISFPs will chime in. My mom is an ISFP, and your post really explains some of her behaviors. When she watches TV, it's not uncommon for her to leave whenever a character she likes gets in physical danger.

It also partially explains why she completely disregards me whenever I'm in emotional turmoil, but the second I experience physical pain she drops everything and does all in her power and will to make it better...

* goes off to contemplate *

 

[BerberElla]

I find my friend (isfj) seems to take on phsyical empathy when dealing with people, it's not uncommon for her to become ill with various aches or pains in relation to other peoples pain.

She described it once as drawing in someone elses pain to lessen it for them (she's really spiritual about these things).

I feel alot of empathy and cry for other people, but I don't experience any physical from it, I just sort of squirm in imagined/empathised relating, but no actual physical symptoms.

 

[maliafee]

It also partially explains why she completely disregards me whenever I'm in emotional turmoil, but the second I experience physical pain she drops everything and does all in her power and will to make it better...

* goes off to contemplate *

Gosh, I'm surprised she disregards you when you're suffering emotionally. I don't usually do that to people but sometimes I suppose it can seem a little difficult to deal with? Or maybe she thinks you just need your space and is trying to accommodate. I think when people are sad I try to hug them but if they seem uncomfortable I just leave them be. I don't know what else to do...

But the physical thing is very strong. I can't stand friends to even come over and not eat or drink something if they're hungry or thirsty. That would appall me!

Malia
ISFP

 

[Udog]

Gosh, I'm surprised she disregards you when you're suffering emotionally. I don't usually do that to people but sometimes I suppose it can seem a little difficult to deal with? Or maybe she thinks you just need your space and is trying to accommodate.

Well, there may be issues that go beyond MBTI type that diminish the emotional empathy and possibly exaggerate the physical in compensation.

 

[Giggly]

Yes, I experience this.

It's the main reason why I can't watch violent movies. I also experience it in the positive form too. If someone is having a feel-good sensation, I empathize and feel it too.

 

[Walking Tourist]

Yes, physical empathy. That is what I experience in my day to day life. A few years ago, I saw a documentary about North Koreans living in China. They were a family with little kids, and they were starving and couldn't find work because they would be discovered and deported. My stomach hurt when I watched the looks on their faces. They were in such distress and pain. Even now, just thinking about it makes me cry.
When I see people who are experiencing pain, I feel it along with them. I feel their emotional distress, too. If they cry, I cry.
When people are happy, I am happy, too.
My mother says that I am an empath.
Watching the news can be very difficult and painful for me. The news is constantly of wars and violence and natural disasters. Sometimes, I have to close my eyes because I just can't look. Closing my eyes doesn't block the empathy response, though.
I cannot watch violent movies. Fast-paced action adventure movies put me into sensory and emotional overload.
alice

 

[Quinlan]

I emphathise when someone gets kicked in the balls.

 

[Moiety]

This is most interesting. So this is what those soap opera questions are supposed to gauge?

I emphathise when someone gets kicked in the balls.

lol

Damn! Screw empathy.

 

[wolfy]

I don't feel a lot of empathy for people in pain. I just see it as a problem to be solved.
People whining about how hot it is and things like that drive me crazy.
Like cats people should suffer gracefully.

 

[maliafee]

Being hot or something... yeah, I don't think that's what I'm talking about. Haha... my INFJ mom does that constantly. It's too hot or too cold all the time. I'm sure we're all guilty of that sometimes though, right?

For me it's more like seeing the knife go into someone else and feeling it myself. It takes a lot for me to separate from that; it's almost impossible. Weird.

 

[BlackCat]

Wow, this is really interesting. I can't say I've ever felt this way. *waits for other people to respond*

 

[wolfy]

For me it's more like seeing the knife go into someone else and feeling it myself. It takes a lot for me to separate from that; it's almost impossible. Weird.

I do that I guess. I thought everybody did that?

 

[maliafee]

I do that I guess. I thought everybody did that?

Maybe that's because you're an ISFP like ME, silly.
;-)

 

[Dali]

I do that I guess. I thought everybody did that?

Ha! Me too.

I was reading Malia's post and thinking "Isn't this common across the types or, at least, F types?"

For instance, I remember seeing a picture of a girl who had had a ceramic tiolet bowl she was sitting on break under her and it ended up gashing her hip rather badly. For half an hour after I saw the picture, I'd sporadically grip my hip and squirm in phantom pain. At the time, I honestly thought I would never get over it.

On the flip side, much like Wolfy, it irks me to hear people continuously whining about minor physical pain or discomfort. I respect stoicism and my mother recently mentioned that when I was younger, she'd rarely know I was ill because I'd put a brave face on and keep doing my thing. My SP sister and brother are the same in the latter regard as opposed to my NF siblings who are floored by illness.

 

[Udog]

For me it's more like seeing the knife go into someone else and feeling it myself. It takes a lot for me to separate from that; it's almost impossible. Weird.

To some extent, sure. But honestly, I almost immediately start empathizing with what's going on their mind. The fear, the loneliness, the feeling of dying. (To that end, they have to be a pretty good actor or I just end up being amused.)

Having the same sensitivity, but flipped in favor of physical sensation with diminished emotional empathy, is a pretty interesting concept to me.

 

[wolfy]

To some extent, sure. But honestly, I almost immediately start empathizing with what's going on their mind. The fear, the loneliness, the feeling of dying. (To that end, they have to be a pretty good actor or I just end up being amused.)

Having the same sensitivity, but flipped in favor of physical sensation with diminished emotional empathy, is a pretty interesting concept to me.

Those are interesting points. I've never thought what was going on in their mind as far as I can recall.

 

[maliafee]

Those are interesting points. I've never thought what was going on in their mind as far as I can recall.

Me neither. That's actually scary to do... Ack! I just had this awful thought (thanks a LOT INFP!!! ) about what kind of mindset the little fox has to have in order to actually inflict the pain on himself that'll get himself out of there... *Phew* What a relief; it's gone! Sure glad I let go of stuff easily, hehe.

 

[scattershot]

To some extent, sure. But honestly, I almost immediately start empathizing with what's going on their mind. The fear, the loneliness, the feeling of dying. (To that end, they have to be a pretty good actor or I just end up being amused.)

Having the same sensitivity, but flipped in favor of physical sensation with diminished emotional empathy, is a pretty interesting concept to me.

Yeah, I'm fascinated by this thread. It never occurred to me that Ss would have the physical side of our emotional empathy, but it makes a lot of sense.

I would do the exact same thing with imagining the fox's mindset, but not feel the physical pain at all.

 

[wolfy]

I was just thinking when I sense somebody is worrying or angry I sense it initially as a change in my body. Discomfort, a rise in adrenaline etc.