Does anybody else struggle with showing empathy when appropriate?
I had 2 friends tell me about really bad news in their lives today. In both cases I'm just kind of standing there shocked not knowing what to say besides "I'm so sorry". Later I'm thinking gee I could done/said XYZ--other people seem to be able to do this effortlessly like a reflex.
Similarly, once I saw a child tipping over a shopping cart next to me with a baby inside and I just froze and gasped as it fell over (everyone ok). I dont know why but I couldn't move. I feel awful that I didn't intervene.
I think when I'm presented with something surprising that's really sad or terrible, my brain just shuts off. It makes me feel like such a bad person like I don't care about others, but the truth is I care a lot. Once I process what happened I'm much better at communicating.
Posted Dec 17, 2019, 1:17 AM UTC
I think if a person experienced repeated trauma, what can happen is a desensitizing of trauma in general, especially visual trauma. I’ve also been in situations where awful things happen in front of me and they don’t shock or startle me, I just freeze and watch it happen. I think that may just be a learned brain response to protect me.