I always knew what the difference was but I just recently saw a video that kind of breaks it down really deep on what the true difference is on an emotional level. It is broken down farther than just the definitions in the dictionary. I think it is something really good to watch, especially on a support forum. All of us are here to support people. We also support people in our lives when they need it and this video helps explain how to give even better support. [YOUTUBE]1Evwgu369Jw[/YOUTUBE] I hope you guys find it interesting!
Yes! Empathy is not the same as sympathy and it involves putting yourself in someone else's shoes and actually listening and showing you understand. Sympathy leads to disillusionment and makes people feel like you don't get them.
I want to watch that... when I have a functional computer >_> I usually say that sympathy is more along the lines of pity and understanding that another person is feeling bad or so, while empathy is more understanding how a person is feeling bad by taking on their perspective, making it yours for the moment, and allowing yourself to feel their pain.
In simplest terms, sympathy is "I'm sorry this happened to you (but not to me)." Empathy is "I'm sorry this happened, and I can understand because I've been in a similar place." Brené's description in the above video is a pretty concise explanation. Empathy is really, really difficult, and impossible without true vulnerability; in order to connect to what you are feeling, I have to be willing to go into a dark place inside myself that's similar to what you've experienced, which means that I connect to that experience also. So if I don't have access to my own emotions, I won't be able to do empathy well, and if I'm uncomfortable or afraid of the feelings you're having I also won't be able to go there with you. Sympathy requires none of the above because as Becki said, it's closer to pity. As a friend of mine used to say, "Sympathy is between shit and syphillis in the dictionary. That pretty much says it."
