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Amélie Boukhobza (Clinical psychologist)
As soon as one of your colleagues is devastated, are you too? Be careful, it is very likely that you are an “emotional sponge”. Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, helps you spot the signs that are not misleading and advises you to take a little distance.
What does it mean to be an emotional sponge?
People described as emotional sponges exhibit special sensitivity. They are more empathetic and feel emotions more than others.
“Being an emotional sponge means easily absorbing the emotions of others. Which can have a significant impact on one’s own well-being“, explains Amélie Boukhobza.
Is it enough for your office colleague to complain about their financial difficulties or for a friend to be on the verge of collapse for you to feel the same emotions? In this case, there is no doubt: you are an emotional sponge.
However, other signs can confirm or deny whether you belong to this category.
Signs to spot
- “You are sensitive to atmospheres, that is to say you are affected by everything that is around you, positively or negatively“, underlines Amélie Boukhobza.
- “You have difficulty sorting out your emotions: do your emotions belong to you or are they those of others?“, asks the expert.
- “You are emotionally drained after spending time with people, feeling drained or exhausted“, relates the psychologist.
- “You avoid conflicts or negative environments because they are sources of deep affection“, confirms the specialist.
- “You are very empathetic: being empathetic is good, to a certain extent. Nothing goes right when you end up feeling other people’s emotions as if they were your own.“, warns Amélie Boukhobza.
- “You need a lot of alone time to decompress and separate yourself from other people’s emotions“, assures the expert.
Good in his body, good in his head!
Set limits so you don’t get overwhelmed
Result ? Your mood and well-being are easily influenced by the moods and attitudes of the individuals around you.
“Beware of exhaustion, burn-out and unbalanced relationships! Learn to set clearer boundaries so you don’t find yourself overwhelmed.” recommends, in conclusion, Amélie Boukhobza.
Slide: Emotional hypersensitivity: 10 signs that should make you think about it