A Side Effect of Empathy

Over the past couple of months, I've been trying to make sense of why I tend to rapidly bounce between agony and rage. And I have decided that the rage is a side-effect of the agony. It is an act of self-preservation.

All my life, I've been able to sense the feelings around me, and when I was introduced to TV, that sense extended to the people and animals I saw in shows and news stories. I emotionally participated in the joys and sorrows that were brought to my attention, and it was usually a good experience. Sometimes, though, an indefinable ache would impose itself on me when I would see people or animals suffering in some way, if only emotionally. And that ache tended to linger long after the experience itself. It never truly left, but it would just get bigger and stronger with subsequent events that added to it.

This ache would also impose itself on the more positive feelings I tried to enjoy when emotionally linked into my environment. After the nasty break-up of the Parental Units, which kept me in a kind of limbo, both physically and mentally, it became harder for me to grasp onto the good feelings and embrace them simply for what they were, without the ache encroaching on them.

So, around the age of 7, I began to avoid anything that might pique an emotional response. It would be a few years later when I'd learn the word stoic, but that was exactly what I was striving for, a sublime state of stoicism. To a certain degree, I was rather quite successful in my efforts. I avoided anything that might threaten too much emotion, and I sought out people, situations, books, art - anything - that would encourage nothing but positive reactions.

But, with the death of the Paternal Grandmother Unit in 1993, a crippling blow to my stoic defense left me exposed in a way I had not been since 1974. I was still young in my Wiccan Tradition, and had been regularly opening myself up to psychic possibilities, especially when participating in Circles. That combination threw me deeper in the emotional experience than I had ever been. I found myself struggling to read news stories of what was going on in the world. And many accounts of animal abuse I might accidentally stumble across on TV or in the press would leave me incapable of function on any level. I'm not exaggerating. There were times when I was physically violently ill, trapped in the bathroom, repeatedly vomiting.

Since then, it's only gotten worse, and my practice of stoicism has been, and continues to be, lacking merit in fortifying my emotional keep. In 1999, I gave myself the permission to get angry. And I've never looked back. If there's such a thing as stoic anger, I have it. In spades. It could be described as a cat in self-defense mode: standing still, muscles clenched, puffed out to look bigger, and vocalising her displeasure. A lot of it is false bravado, but some of it can only be described as an assurance that, if pushed too far, she will take an eye out with her claws.

Since 2011, though, I've had to step up my objections to the pain and suffering in the world. Instead of enjoying a little bit of "down time" with stoicism, I find I have to maintain a low level of anger just to be able to function. My default setting is seething, and it can be exhausting. Fortunately, humour can come to the rescue, and often does! But, when I open up my newsfeed on Google or Yahoo, simple headlines can throw me into despair. I can't watch shows or movies that even hint at animal abuse or atrocities inflicted upon a human or humans by other humans. The ache never fully goes away and the seething is there to keep me from losing what little mind I have left.

I often find myself wishing I were a full-blown sociopath or a psychopath, because I envy their inability to empathize. When people wonder why I rage against so much, I hope they realise that the rage is a side effect of empathy, a defense mechanism.

Sometimes, anger is the only thing that keeps me from killing myself.

Survey

I lifted this from purplehez. Thanks, chiclet!

As you begin this survey, what is the current date and time? 30 August, 2014 3:05 PM Pacific.
How has your day been so far? Okay. Nothing to write home about, which is good, since I'm at home, and that would just be redundant.
How are you? Are you okay? I just thought I’d ask, because people don’t always bother to ask. Better than I have been in a while, actually.
If you’re NOT okay, what’s wrong? I'm wrestling with a little bit of writer's block right now.
The last time you left your house, where did you go? I went to the doctor and dentist on Thursday.
Are you wearing anything blue? Nope.
What tinned foods do you currently have in your cupboard? Cat food.
Who was the last person you yelled at? Why? The Mother Unit, so she could hear me. The woman needs a hearing aid.
Do you know anyone named Graham? Yes, I do.
Are you sitting next to anyone? Yes, Smidgen and Toby.
How many girls do you know named Alison? I don't think I know any Allisons.
Do you dislike the last person you Facebook messaged? No.
Who was the last person that sent you a Facebook friend request, and you ignored them? Why did you ignore them? It looked like a spam account.
Is there a certain person that you only have to think about, and you automatically smile? Four of them.
Do you dunk biscuits in your tea/coffee? Biscuits as in cookies? No. Flour biscuits with butter? YES.
Who is your favourite person to have weird random conversations with? MeShel'le
Does it bother you when someone goes offline without saying “bye”? Nope.
Is there anyone in your group of friends that you don’t completely trust? If so, why do you feel that you can’t trust them? I've noticed a trend where they kind of take financial advantage of you or, by way of you, your friends. And they do it very subtly.
When was the last time you used a computer in a public place? About two years.
A random fact about the person you like. They adore Bollywood.
Do you prefer to do the asking out, or be asked out? How about neither?
Is there anything happening soon, that you’re NOT looking forward to? The Horribledays.
Have you forgiven the last person that broke your heart? Sith don't forgive and don't forget, but I am civil with him.
Are you home alone right now? If so, where are the people you live with? Negatory.
What colour was the last towel you used? Red.
Are you planning on getting drunk anytime soon? No.
Are you a chocoholic? I adore chocolate, but I can do without it for very long periods of time.
Name the last 5 males you talked to, outside of family. Matt, Paul, Barry, Alan, and Boba.
Name the last 5 females you talked to, outside of family. Kat, Megs, Ginny, Mary, and Neith.
Did you ever have an imaginary friend as a child? What was his/her name? I had an imaginary dog on an imaginary leash. I can't remember his name.
What’s the date and time now? 30 August, 2014 7:15 PM Pacific.