What is empathy fatigue? And how to spot the signs early
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Running on empty after helping everyone else? Learn why empathy fatigue happens, how it differs from compassion fatigue, and 8 ways to recharge and protect your energy.
You don’t have to have a career in caretaking to feel completely drained after supporting other people all day. Maybe you find yourself extra exhausted after a hard talk with a friend, a day of teaching your students, or being the go-to person your colleagues vent to. And while you may not be physically tired, something inside you just feels worn out.
That feeling of exhaustion is often known as “empathy fatigue.” This form of fatigue builds slowly over time, especially when you’re always making space for other people but don’t get the chance to recharge. If people often turn to you for help or you constantly feel like you’re the one putting out fires or restoring balance, you might not notice empathy fatigue until you start to feel numb or emotionally empty.
Uncover what empathy fatigue is, how it’s different from compassion fatigue, and what you can do to feel more like yourself again. Let’s explore some ways to care for yourself while still supporting others.
What is empathy fatigue?
Empathy fatigue is a kind of emotional burnout that happens when you spend a lot of time taking in other people’s pain or stress. You might care deeply about others, but if you keep taking on their feelings without enough time to rest, it can leave you feeling numb, overwhelmed, or emotionally empty.
It’s different from regular burnout, which usually comes from working too hard or being under too much pressure. Empathy fatigue is more about how much emotion you’re holding onto. It builds up slowly, from things like tough conversations, helping people through hard times, or even just seeing upsetting news every day.
Empathy fatigue vs compassion fatigue
These two terms sound similar—and they’re related—but they come from different kinds of stress. Both can leave you feeling tired, disconnected, or like you have nothing left to give. But knowing which one you’re feeling can help you figure out what kind of support you need.
Empathy fatigue happens when you feel too much. You might soak up other people’s emotions until you can’t handle any more.
Compassion fatigue happens when you give too much. This often affects people in jobs where they’re helping others all of the time — like nurses, teachers, social workers, or therapists.
Why does empathy fatigue happen?
Empathy fatigue can build slowly, especially when you’re always there for other people but don’t have enough time or space to deal with your own feelings. Sometimes, you don’t even notice it’s happening until you feel completely worn down.
Here are some common reasons empathy fatigue can build up:
You’re very emotionally sensitive: If you naturally pick up on how others feel, it’s easy to take on their emotions without realizing it.
You don’t get time to rest: Supporting others takes energy. Without breaks to recharge, your emotional tank runs empty.
You’re stressed yourself: When you’re already going through a lot, taking on someone else’s pain can feel like too much.
You have trouble setting limits: If it’s hard for you to say “not right now,” you might end up giving more than you can handle.
You’re always exposed to distress: Whether it’s through work, relationships, or even social media, being around constant stress or sadness can wear you down.
What are the signs you’re struggling with empathy fatigue?
You might not notice empathy fatigue right away, but you might clock subtle changes in how you feel, act, and connect with others. It might start as simply feeling extra tired after helping someone, but, over time, that tiredness can grow into numbness, stress, or a need to pull away.
Some common signs include:
Feeling numb or disconnected: You still care, but it’s harder to feel emotions like you used to.
Getting upset more easily: Little things might feel overwhelming. You may snap, shut down, or feel drained after simple tasks.
Physical problems: You might feel tired all the time, get headaches, stomach trouble, or have trouble sleeping.
Losing motivation: Things that used to feel meaningful now feel hard or pointless. It’s tough to focus or get things done.
Pulling away from others: Being around people—especially if they need support—can feel too heavy.
Feeling hopeless or guilty: You might wonder if you’re helping at all, or feel bad for needing a break.
How to recover from empathy fatigue: 8 tips to protect your energy
Empathy fatigue isn’t a character flaw or a personal failure. It’s your body and mind waving a red flag that says, “You’ve been holding too much for too long.”
When this happens, it’s time to pause and recalibrate. These approaches can help you recharge and recover without checking out of your life entirely.
1. Create emotional boundaries that protect your energy
It’s not selfish to say, “I can’t take this on right now.” In fact, it’s essential. Boundaries are what make sustainable empathy possible. You can still show up for people, but in ways that don’t leave you gutted afterward.
Try this:
Practice noticing when your body tenses up or your energy dips during conversations. That’s a sign it might be time to pause or pull back from the conversation (or the relationship).
Use phrases like “I want to be here for you, but I don’t have the capacity for a deep conversation right now,” or “Can we check in tomorrow when I’ve had a moment to rest?”
💙 Listen to Jay Shetty’s session How to Say No on the Calm app for help with setting boundaries.
2. Take intentional breaks from emotionally charged spaces
If you’re constantly absorbing other people’s emotions, your nervous system needs regular downtime. Downtime is defined as uninterrupted moments where you’re not holding space for anyone else — you’re just spending time with yourself.
Try this:
If you’re in a caregiving or helping role, schedule micro-breaks into your day. Even five minutes to breathe, stretch, or sit in silence can help reset your emotional state.
Outside of work, create empathy-free zones, like no heavy conversations in the car, during lunch, or after a certain hour at night.
3. Shift from absorbing to witnessing
Being empathic doesn’t mean you have to feel everything someone else feels. You can be present, supportive, and compassionate without emotionally merging. This is where mindful witnessing comes in. Instead of internalizing someone else’s pain, try reminding yourself of your truth.
Try saying this to yourself:
“I can be with them at this moment without taking it on as mine.”
“Their feelings are valid. I don’t have to fix them to be supportive.”
4. Move your body to process what words can’t
When you’re emotionally at capacity, the excess emotions typically overflow into your physical state, like tension in your jaw, shallow breathing, or heaviness in your chest. Movement helps release some of that stuck energy.
Try this:
Go for a walk after a hard conversation.
Try somatic practices like shaking, stretching, or dancing around your room to music that shifts your mood.
If you sit a lot for work, take stretch breaks every hour. This habit gives your nervous system room to breathe.
💙 Tune into Mel Mah’s The Daily Move on the Calm app for a new mindful movement routine each day.
5. Seek support that doesn’t require you to perform
You may be the one everyone leans on for guidance or advice, but who supports you when you need it most? Even one relationship where you don’t have to be the “strong” one can be helpful.
Try this:
Reach out to a friend, therapist, mentor, or peer who gets what you’re going through and won’t expect you to be emotionally on.
If emotional conversations feel like too much, try co-regulation through shared quiet time, watching a show together, or running errands in silence.
Related read: How to be a better friend: 7 tips to improve your relationships
6. Consume less emotional content online
Doomscrolling through trauma headlines, emotionally heavy TikToks, or deep confessionals can make empathy fatigue worse, especially if you’re already stretched thin.
Try this:
Set boundaries around media consumption. Unfollow accounts that constantly share distressing stories, even if they’re “important.”
Give yourself permission to mute or log off when it feels like too much. The world will still be there when you come back, and you’ll be more resourced to engage with it.
7. Reconnect with what fills you up (not just what numbs you out)
There’s a difference between recovery and escape. Scrolling, bingeing, or zoning out might give you temporary relief, but they often leave you feeling just as drained afterward. Instead, find moments that restore you.
Try this:
Make something with your hands (even just doodling or baking).
Listen to music that makes you feel better.
Go outside, even for five minutes.
Do something playful or silly. Watch dumb videos. Pet your dog. Text a friend a meme with no context.
Related read: Feeling disconnected? 10 ways to reconnect with yourself
8. Practice nervous system hygiene like it’s basic maintenance
You don’t need a 30-minute meditation practice to support your nervous system (unless you want one). Simple, consistent regulation practices can help you release emotional load without overhauling your life.
Try this:
Try three rounds of slow, deep belly breathing. Inhale for four, exhale for six.
Do a short grounding check-in by naming three things you see, two things you feel, and one thing you hear.
Splash your face with cold water or hold a warm mug to help regulate your vagus nerve.
Empathy fatigue FAQs
What are the symptoms of empathy fatigue?
Empathy fatigue can affect your emotions, body, and behavior. Emotionally, you might feel numb, distant, or like you can’t connect with others, even if you want to. You may also feel more stressed, anxious, or hopeless.
Physically, you might notice you’re always tired, get headaches, have stomach issues, or struggle with sleep. You might pull away from others, feel unmotivated, or get overwhelmed by small things. These symptoms can build over time and leave you feeling completely drained, even when you’re resting.
What causes empathy fatigue?
Empathy fatigue happens when you’re around a lot of emotional pain for too long without enough time to recover. It’s common in people who often support others — like teachers, therapists, nurses, caregivers, or even friends who are “always there.”
You may take on other people’s feelings without realizing it. It’s harder if you’re already stressed, have weak boundaries, or spend time online or at work hearing hard stories all day.
Who is most likely to experience empathy fatigue?
Anyone who supports others emotionally can feel empathy fatigue. This includes therapists, healthcare workers, teachers, social workers, clergy, caregivers, or people who are always the “listener” in their friend group.
Sensitive or highly empathetic people—sometimes called empaths—may be more likely to feel this way because they take on emotions deeply and may not know how to protect their own energy. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing this work as a job or just in your personal life. What matters is how often you’re helping without enough time to recover.
How is empathy fatigue different from compassion fatigue?
Empathy fatigue and compassion fatigue are similar, but not the same. Empathy fatigue happens when you feel too much and absorb others’ pain, and start to feel overloaded. Compassion fatigue happens when you do too much — giving care, help, or support until you’re physically and emotionally drained.
Empathy fatigue is more about emotional overwhelm. Compassion fatigue often comes from being stretched too thin in caregiving roles. Some people experience both at the same time, especially in high-stress jobs or situations.
Can empathy fatigue lead to burnout?
Yes, it can. If you keep pushing through empathy fatigue without rest or support, it can turn into burnout. Burnout often shows up as deep exhaustion, feeling unmotivated, or not caring as much as you used to. You might feel angry, hopeless, or checked out.
While burnout can come from many things, empathy fatigue often plays a big part, especially when you’re always giving emotional energy without enough time to refill your tank.
How do I recover from empathy fatigue?
Start by recognizing what’s going on. Recovery means taking breaks, setting limits, and doing things that calm your body and mind.
That might look like saying no to extra emotional work, getting support from someone who doesn’t expect you to be “strong,” or doing simple things that make you feel better, like walking, laughing, resting, or being in nature. Small changes can make a big difference. You don’t have to fix everything overnight.
Are there meditations for empathy fatigue?
Yes. Simple mindfulness or breathing exercises can help your body and brain take a break. Some helpful types include deep breathing, body scans, or short meditations focused on self-compassion or setting emotional boundaries. Just five minutes of quiet time can make you feel more grounded.
Can empathy fatigue affect physical health?
Yes, it can. When you’re holding too much emotionally, your body feels it too. You might get headaches, feel tired all the time, have stomach problems, or sleep poorly. Over time, this kind of stress can weaken your immune system and lead to more serious health problems like high blood pressure or anxiety.
Your body sends signs when things are too heavy, so it’s important to listen, even if your brain says to “keep going.”
How long does empathy fatigue last?
It depends. If you catch it early and start resting, setting boundaries, and doing things that help you recover, you might feel better in a few days or weeks. But if you’ve been pushing through for a long time—or you’re still in a stressful situation—it may take longer.
The important thing is to go at your own pace. You don’t need to rush your recovery. Each small step helps rebuild your emotional energy.
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