I always thought I knew what the differences where but today I’m getting them confused.
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Sympathy is about recognizing that someone is suffering. Things like “I’m sorry you’re going through this, it must be rough.” You’re showing that you see them hurting and that you care about them but it’s often just surface level. You might not really understand what they’re going through, but you want them to know you care.
Empathy is about being able to connect with their feelings and feel them like they are a part of your own. Some people are naturally empathic but others can become empathetic based on their own experiences. Like if you had a friend who’s just been dumped and you have also had that experience of heartbreak, the level of connecting and understanding of their feelings is deeper.
Both are about feeling and expressing care and concern for someone who’s in a bad spot. Sympathy is more external, it’s about communicating that you feel bad for them; Empathy is more internal and about feeling a connection with someone’s suffering and sharing it.
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