Empath is a person who can feel the emotions, thoughts and energy of other people. In Islam there is no such concept, that’s why most claims of being empathic comes from western world.
There is a huge discussion in west about the symptoms, benefits and dark side of being empathic.
Most people think that empaths are happier and stronger because they have the ability to read the thoughts & minds of other people. They can absorb the energy of other people and can treat them through their healing energy but many believe that it’s not true.
They claim that knowing the thoughts of other people, absorbing their energy and healing their wounds can affect the empathic person.
The biggest trouble for empath is reading the slightest change in persons behavior, tone and expression. They know what you are going through just by reading your body expression, and as they can’t let it go they themselves become victim of what someone else experienced.
The reading of mind and judging people from other then their words also creates problem for empaths as they face an internal war to trust someone. Someone may behave in a friendly way with an empath but they can deduce negativity from their thoughts.
There have been many research and studies about the reality of being empathic and how they read minds or are affected by energies. Some studies concluded in the favour of such people while others concluded that empaths are just sensitive people who are more emotional and feel more than other people.
Many believe that it is because of the childhood of a person. Children in war zones, or a child born in an alcoholic family are more attentive about the nature and behavior of people near them to protect themselves resulting in ability to notice even minor changes in tone or behavior.