Depression through empathy?

I have some skills at empathy, and I recently have been just down in the dumps and just real sad for no reason at all. Today I learned that one of the kids I sit by in like 2 of my classes, and is a good friend of mine had depression. Is it possible that my mood was affected by his depression through empathy, or is that just a coincidence?

[Edited on 14-1-2004 by Valedamar]

The mood of others around you will affect your mood as well... even if you dont realise that they are depresses and dont realise they're affecting you... i feel it all the time so i actively fight depression and keep positive...

[Edited on 15-1-2004 by kegs]

When I saw your topic I thought you meant loss of energy and drive through being around or listening to and responding to people with a lot of negative energy.

I believe what you are saying is possible, but for me I don't end up feeling depressed, I end up feeling drained. I have had quite a bit of it over the past week from several sources, and even more from an old old friend this morning who arrived unannounced. I need to stop being a sounding board or I will fly off the handle at someone soon.

(winds coil a little tighter).

Drained is exactly it. It'll drain you till you can't operate normally.

Wow, that is really rough. I think my moods did come from him... there isn't anything else it could be.
That's rough about the whole looking in the eye thing, i guess I'm lucky it happens to me rarely....
I guess out of all the gifts someone could have Empathy is the toughest. Has anyone watched X-Men? The character Rogue reminds me of my skills... It's bizarre....
Thanks everybody.

I've experienced both the depression and the draining effect, and I'd thought them to be one and the same, to be honest. Those who are depressed have more of a negative energy level, and I feel influenced quite strongly by that. I often have to catch myself from falling off the precipice into desair with them.

And MA, you're not alone in your role as a sounding board for everyone. I've done it more times than I care to count. Part of the blessing and curse of having gifts, I think. It does bring you down when you're sensitive to their emotional state and the energy it carries with it.

It's possible, yes, and it can affect you. If you're THAT sensitive (this isn't a slam... I'm also that sensitive) then you need to take some psychological steps to diminish the impact -- because if you ever live with a depressive, some of their down periods can whack you in the knees emotionally (I'm speaking from experience. My spouse is and had a bad episode today and I'm pretty low energy, exhausted, and despirited right now. It'll clear up soon but at this moment I'm in the dumps.)

One of the best ways to do this is a traditional casting of a magickal circle (you can find instructions all over the nets) that you change to invoke whichever powers (real or imaginary) that you like.

You should also "consecrate" a talisman to protect yourself against it getting bad (this can be something as simple as praying over a religous symbol or crafting something special. Instructions are on the nets. If you need further help/advice, U2U me.)

Woah. Thanks for all the responces! I'll deffinatly try them.

[Edited on 15-1-2004 by Valedamar]

Valedamar

Please read your U2Us, I have sent you a message.

Um, I could do that if I knew what a U2U was......What is it?

Maybe this will help you from cassiopaea.org:

Q: Mouravieff says that the "pre-Adamic" humans do not have the higher centers, nor the possibility of developing them in this cycle - which
we assume to be the Grand Cycle you have previously described, the length of which is around 300,000 years. Is this an accurate
representation of "pre-Adamic" beings?
A: Yes, they are "organic" portals between levels of density.
Q: Based on what Mouravieff has said, it seems to be so that any efforts to try to raise the consciousness of such individuals is doomed to fail.
A: Pretty much. Most of them are very efficient machines. The ones that you have identified as psychopaths are "failures." The best ones
cannot be discerned except by long and careful observation.
Q: (V) Have I, or anyone in this room, ever encountered any, and if so, can you give us an example for reference?
A: If you consider that the population is equally distributed, then you will understand that in an ordinary "souled" person's life, that person will
encounter half as many organic portals as souled individuals. BUT, when someone is in the process of "growing" and strengthening the soul,
the Control System will seek to insert even more "units" into that person's life. Now, think of all the people you have ever met and particularly
those with whom you have been, or are, intimate. Which half of this number would YOU designate as being organic portals? Hard to tell, eh?
Q: (BT) Is this the original meaning of the "pollution of the bloodline" that the Bible talks about?
A: Yes.


The suggestion here is that these type of individuals are energy drainers.'

Empaths NEED to learn to seperate their own from what they pick up from others. It will make life much more bearable for you.
It isn't only possible, it is almost certain that you will indeed get alot of meloncolly(sp) and blahs, and depression (mildy usualy) until you become better at seperating yourself from others.
Angela