The Energy of Others by Alanis De La Cruz Pérez
I want to paint a picture here. Imagine you are going out with a friend you haven’t seen in a while. You get excited because you will share memories and stories, but most of all you want to spend time with your friend. You’ve been sad because of school, yet you know that when you see your friend all you will have are positive thoughts and experiences (or so you think).
While seeing your friend and updating each other, you start to observe that this friend is taking all the talking and all the time to focus on their needs. Your light after seeing them starts to go down, and when you both part ways you feel sadder than you were before, as if you have taken some of that friend’s energy.
This has happened to me before, and I am sure you have seen and felt this before, you have been sensitive to other’s energy. Also known as dealing with “energy vampires” to some. But this is not something that everyone understands when it is happening.
Here are some signs to be aware of this idea:
Feeling sad/depleted or having an energy shift after an encounter with someone (i.e. friend, family member, teacher, etc).
Not wanting to do your regular activities like before.
Feeling tired, with low to no energy.
*CAVEAT: This is in no way a comparison to a diagnosis of mental health (i.e. depression, anxiety, etc.). Please reach out to the appropriate doctors if these feelings persist as well as other signs.
Self-awareness is the first step to understanding what is happening. Ask yourself, why am I feeling this way, without judgment, but with a curious mind so that you could be more understanding to yourself.
Then, start looking for ways to feel better, even if it is the tiniest thing such as going for a walk.
You can read about healthy coping skills in our blog, which can be helpful when looking for ways to feel better and connect with yourself again.
It may not be easy, but YOU got this!
Additional tools for when you may be in crisis:
U.S. Crisis Text Line: 741-741
Ohio Mobile Response and Stabilization Services: 1-888-418-MRSS (6777)