Lack Of Empathy: Disorders, Signs And Causes
At some point in your life, all of you have interacted with people who seem to lack empathy.
These experiences can leave you frustrated, unstable, angry, disappointed and even betrayed, especially when you need support.
It becomes even more difficult and painful if you are in a relationship with someone who is unable to put themselves in your shoes.
And of course, it becomes unbearable when you consider certain people to be friends, or even worse, when those people are family members and you have to be in frequent contact with them!
In this article, I’m going to share with you the signs that someone is lacking empathy, why some people seem to lack it, and how to deal with them so that you don’t feel so frustrated and disappointed so that you can lead a happier life.
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What exactly is empathy?
According to the simplest definition, “Empathy is the psychological identification or vicarious experience of the thoughts, attitudes and feelings of others. «
The word comes from the Greek word « Empatheia », which means physical affection or passion.
According to another definition, “Empathy is the experience of understanding another person’s thoughts, feelings and condition from their perspective rather than your own. You try to imagine yourself in her place in order to understand what she is feeling or experiencing. «
It is said that having empathy facilitates social interactions that come from within, so that you behave in a more compassionate manner.
In addition, empathy is one of the defining characteristics and one of the fundamental elements of emotional intelligence.
“True compassion means not only feeling the pain of others, but also being moved to help alleviate it. « Daniel Goleman
Cultivate empathy
Empathy seems to arise over time as part of human development, and it also has roots in evolution.
In fact, basic forms of empathy have been seen in our primate parents, in dogs, and even in rats.
From a developmental perspective, humans begin to show signs of empathy in social interactions during the second and third years of life.
According to the article by Jean Decety entitled « The neurological development of empathy in humans », “There is compelling evidence that prosocial behaviors such as altruistic help appear early in childhood. 12-month-old infants begin to comfort victims in distress, and children 14-18 months display spontaneous and unrewarded helping behaviors. «
And, it’s true that one probably feels empathy because of the evolutionary advantage:
“Empathy probably evolved in the context of parental care that characterizes all mammals. Signaling their condition by smiling and crying, human infants urge their caregivers to act… women who met the needs of their offspring outperformed those who were cold and distant ”, according to the Greater Good Science Center.
This may explain the gender differences in human empathy.
It also suggests that one has a natural predisposition to develop empathy. However, social and cultural factors strongly influence where, how and to whom it is expressed.
Empathy is something that we develop over time and in relation to our social environment, ultimately becoming « A response so complex that it is difficult to recognize its origin in simpler responses, such as bodily mimicry and emotional contagion », said the same source.
Psychology and empathy
In the field of psychology, empathy is a central concept.
From a mental health perspective, those with high levels of empathy are more likely to function well in society, reporting larger social circles and more fulfilling relationships.
Empathy is essential for building successful interpersonal relationships of all types, in the family unit, in the workplace and beyond.
Lack of empathy, therefore, is an indication of conditions such as antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.
Additionally, for mental health professionals such as therapists, empathizing with clients is an important part of successful treatment.
Highly empathetic therapists can help people in treatment deal with past experiences and better understand both the experience and the feelings around it.
Empathy plays a crucial role in human, social and psychological interaction at all stages of life.
Therefore, the study of empathy is a continuing area of major interest to psychologists and neuroscientists in many fields, with new research appearing regularly.
Why is empathy important?
Empathy is one of the most important aspects of building strong relationships, reducing stress, and improving emotional awareness – but it can be tricky at times.
For example, how can you empathize with people you don’t necessarily agree with?
I consider myself to be an empathetic person, but I notice that with some people and in particular situations my natural capacity and desire for empathy may be diminished or almost nonexistent.
But, there are so many benefits of empathy that most people aren’t even aware of.
For example, I also notice that when I feel empathy for others and for myself, I experience a sense of peace, connection, and perspective that I enjoy.
And, when there’s an absence of empathy in a relationship, situation, or the way I relate to myself, I often feel stress, disconnection, and negativity.
Never underestimate the power of empathy! And, don’t confuse empathy with sympathy.
When you’re sympathetic, you often feel sorry for someone else, but you keep a distance (physical, emotional, and mental) from someone’s feelings or experiences.
Whereas when you are empathetic you are able to truly understand or imagine the depth of another person’s emotional state or situation.
It involves identifying with a person, rather than feeling sorry for them.
What is empathy disorder?
Possessing empathy is an important human ability that enables you to connect with others, as well as recognize, understand, and share a range of emotions.
Having a high level of empathy refers to the ability to imagine the scenario and react with compassion to what someone else might be going through.
Some people can experience extreme empathy, known as hyperempathy, when they are very sensitive and very attuned to the emotions of others.
On the other hand, some people may suffer from Empathy Deficit Disorder, which means they lack the ability to understand what a person is going through.
According to psychologists, there are 3 types of empathy:
• Cognitive empathy – This type refers to the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes. You can understand other people’s emotions, while also understanding their perspective and reactions to a certain situation. By possessing this ability, it enables you to respond in an appropriate and caring manner.
• Affective empathy – Also known as emotional empathy, this empathy applies when you emotionally share the feelings that another person is having. You can be affected by the emotions of others and in doing so, become one with their emotions.
• Compassionate Empathy – This incorporates both cognitive and emotional empathy by using these two responses to make you want to take action, thereby relieving the other person of their pain.
The psychology of emotional and cognitive empathy
Let’s take a closer look at emotional and cognitive empathy, which seem to be the most important for all social interactions.
When looking at lack of empathy for the first time, it’s important to know a few things about these two types of empathy.
According to famous psychologists, emotional empathy consists of three distinct elements.
The first is to feel the same emotion as another person. The second element, personal distress, refers to one’s own feelings of distress in response to the perception of someone else’s plight.
The third emotional component, feeling compassion for another person, is most commonly associated with the study of empathy in psychology, the book’s author explains. Empathy quotient , Simon Baron-Cohen.
It is important to note that the feelings of distress associated with emotional empathy do not necessarily reflect the emotions of the other person.
Psychologists note that although empathetic people feel distress when someone falls, they don’t experience the same physical pain.
This type of empathy is especially relevant when it comes to discussions of compassionate human behavior.
According to psychologists Hodges and Myers, “Many of the noblest examples of human behavior, including helping strangers and stigmatized people, are believed to have empathic roots. «
The second type of empathy is cognitive empathy. It refers to the ability of an individual to perceive and understand the emotions of others.
Cognitive empathy, also known as empathic precision, involves the fact « To have more complete and precise knowledge about the contents of the mind of another person, including what he feels », say Hodges and Myers.
Cognitive empathy is more like a skill: Humans learn to recognize and understand the emotional state of others as a way to process emotions and behavior.
While it’s not clear exactly how humans experience empathy, there is a growing body of research on the topic.
What is Empathy Deficit Disorder?
Not having the ability to sense, understand, and resonate with the feelings of others is categorized as Empathy Deficit Disorder.
It is a personality disorder that is defined in psychology.
This makes it difficult to form and maintain relationships both for the individual who lacks empathy and for potential friends and relatives.
Empathy Deficit Disorder can also be prevalent in certain types of mental health issues, such as psychological disorders, narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and people with the disorder. Asperger’s syndrome (form of autism).
The presence of alexithymia, a lack of mirror neurons, a « hypermasculine » brain, a peculiarity of the amygdala, or an imbalance between an overefficient affective empathy and a reduced cognitive, are explored as causes …
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