Autism And Lack Of Empathy? (Can Autistic People Feel Empathy)

Autism and a lack of empathy is a recurring topic where some say autistic people lack empathy. In this video, we look at the 3 types of empathy (cognitive empathy, emotional empathy & compassionate empathy) & in my opinion can people with autism feel empathy?

Autism and empathy is a massive topic and one which comes up time after time. The autism empathy myth is one which I wanted to clarify & talk about autistic empathy more in-depth.

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*ABOUT ME*
Videos on autism from the perspective of an autistic adult. Sharing my autism experiences to help other autistic people and autism families to improve understanding of autism.

Hello indie people, I'm Andy and I have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I make videos on autism from the perspective of an autistic adult. Sharing my autism experiences to help other autistic people and autism families to improve understanding of autism.

This channel is focused on raising autism awareness & acceptance of autism. To try and change attitudes towards autism, to educate people about autism for those who are new to the autism world.

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So if you are on the spectrum, know someone with autism or are working professionally in the autism field and want to learn more about autistic people then consider subscribing and turning on the notification bell to see all future videos.

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#autism #indieandy #empathy

[tshaika]

When I see a very sad person or someone cries, I start crying too and I want to give them a hug to make them feel better, or even fix their situation. But I have a hard time seeing through people, not because I can't pick up the vibes, but I'm too distracted by the all over situation to focus on the subtle stuff. Only in hindsight do I realize that I knew it all along, if I had only payed a bit more attention to my gut feeling at the time. I can definitely hear it in the voice when someone is lying. There is a "hollow" sound to it.

[chefamy]

I think I’m empathetic but I sometimes struggle to put myself in other people’s shoes

[lysagreen]

I have a lot of difficulty with cognitive empathy. I don’t really know how I feel most of the time(unless I am angry). I can’t step into another’s place, and understand how they feel. I also have difficulty (panic) when someone expresses strong emotions. I have no clue what I’m meant to do, but being a problem solver, I usually try to figure out a way to solve the problem that is causing that emotion.

[karinelfwing]

This is misconception that autistics lack empathy is a peet peeve of mine. For the most empatic and compassioned persons I know has one thing in common: they are all on the austic spectrum. And the most unempatic people I have come across in my Life (and I have encounterad a few) were all neurotypicals….

[Tuklo-Hishi]

Ever sense childhood, I have been highly empathetic, and I'm Autistic. I've often been called overly emotional at times (and as a child my emotions were hard for me to control or my emotional responses were hard to keep in check & so I had a lot of meltdowns).

If someone cries I'm likely to cry along with them, if not more than them. Or I may come off as Stoicily Stone Faced & Placid & Even, Calm Toned (physically & vocally expensively). Yet, I will go into problem solving mode whilst feeling such intense emotions that it feels like a massive confusing preasure & storm inside of my chest ... to the point it physically hurts (if another is hurting, sad, angry ext.). I go into analysis mode but don't focus on myself & what I'm feeling because it's not as important to me as the other person. So I cut off the emotional focus, in me, and go right into the intellectual prosses of trying to problem solve & fix things, or make them more bearable or tolerable for the other person ... and reach into my deep tool box of therapeutic tools, knowledge & understanding in attempts to first alleviate or lessen the suffering through comforting the best I can until we can talk it out together to try to reach a possible solution or resolution.

Sometimes I don't say anything at all & usually or mostly just listen & hyper focus on the person ... and take in data ... as to show I'm listening I even force myself to make & hold (often hyper focused) eye contact (which though very stressful for me, especially when others are disressed). Though it's painful for me ... I do it anyways as a sacrifice as to let them know they are valuable, they're not alone, someone cares & is listening, with them, and gears them without judgment or criticism.

Most times ... I have found this us what's needed or wanted far more than a problem solver. When problems are solved most people do best & are most likely to follow through when they are the ones whom have come to the solutions themselves. Yet, sometimes we need help (even if in the forms of tools) and so I act as either a sounding board or an external intellectual pump to help them come to a resolution rather than solve their problems (which is far more helpful than doing something for someone). I had the fortunate priveledge of learning how to do this during a 3 year period as a tutor to many of my fellow Schoolmates (whilst in College) in multiple subjects.

For this, friends often come to me with difficult things, knowing I'll be gentle but direct & honest (and perhaps blunt). Yet, it causes a lot of burn out when it happens often. Luckily people have learned that I need more time alone than most people & more often.
Yet, when I'm on ... I'm full on & all the way in it.... right there in the muck & mud with someone.

[robynriana]

Autistic people have empathy! Autistic people communicate differently though, and communicating emotions is the first step to practicing that “compassionate empathy”. So yeah, sometimes we seem insensitive. But you know what? I often think I detect sadness or anxiety and feel moved to help, but then it turns out I completely misread the person and they’re not sad or anxious. It could be that autistics find it easier to empathize with other autistics, and neurotypicals with other neurotypicals, just because of how we communicate. 🤔

[peteryunge-bateman]

Psychologists understand very little about the ration and meaning of emotions and how and why, they function within our thought process. Psychologists don’t understand that we all exist within the spectrums of depression, depressive realism or autism. Clinical depression is the extreme end of the depression spectrum and, it is the beginning of the depressive realism spectrum. I seem to have arrived at the extreme end of the spectrum of depressive realism where it seems to enter the spectrum of autism at the asbergers level. It’s very easy for me to see how the selfish emotions of psychologists’ ego dominate their intellect to prevent them from even thinking about the ration and meaning of our emotions. To do so would expose the ego’s domination of our thought process and subject us to the regulation and control of the selfless ration and meaning of empathy. The ration with which you speak makes my emotions tingle with gleeful delight. I hope you continue to define for your selves, the nature of the autism spectrum while leaving those, who assume perfect mental health, to deal with their own emotional depression. I hope this helps you in your endeavours.With empathy, Pete.

[sebfragomeni]

I've had autism my whole life. When people die such as a family member I can't feel sadness

[AdventuresInMyLife]

I usually feel the emotional and compassionate empathy, but I have a hard time putting myself in the other person’s shoes, and because I’m blunt, that is often misinterpreted. I have autism, was recently diagnosed through my psychologist.

[simikatra]

Thank you thank you thank you... I've been wringing my brain over the empathy thing for the last week and getting all twisted up over it. I feel so much, but I freeze in some stressful situations, my IQ drops dramatically, and it can come across as cold, but I'm just overwhelmed with too much! Especially if there is noise like crying or shouting. I would love it if you did something on protecting us from those who are manipulative though. Because I often don't realise until it's too late. I hope I don't sound crazy but I do seem to pick up vibes from people, but I don't necessarily understand if it's good or bad, I just need to get away as fast as I can from that kind of energy in a room or wherever. Thanks again Andy 💖

[zeena]

My husband has autism (also a genius with a christ complex which he openly talks about) and I've always thought of him as having a spectral awareness -- He misses a large part of the neuro-typical human spectrum with its endless myriad of subtleties, but he functions extremely well in a small band of that spectrum. Since he can't relate, he does not have cognitive empathy, or very little of it. However if he grasps that someone is hurting or distressed he is immediately there in a very genuine and childlike way, wanting to make it all better for them. Often he is too forceful and certain that he has the perfect solution for them and misses or disregards important comments made by the hurting person. Like a friend who had heartburn, she said she didn't like Tums. But he "knew" Tums would help so he sent her a case of them. Of course she didn't use them.

[efoy_ivyhund]

I do think I can. I sometimes don't understand why they are feeling something because this or that happens but I do feel empathy for people because I have felt that emotion even if I haven't felt it for that reason. Does that make sense?

[CharlieHohn]

Neurotypical people seem to mostly not WANT someone to try to fix their problems when they are upset. Which makes me anxious as I’m not sure what else to do other than try to make it better.

[thekevzor]

Well I am psychopathic. I have zero emotional empathy but high cognitive empathy. Don’t feel emotions strongly either

[jophillipsillustration]

I’m High on emotional empathy, low on cognitive empathy. Interesting to break it down. And yes I have alexathyymia or however-it’s spelt!

[yaaaboi]

3:24 i have never felt compassionate empathy in my life i only feel emotional empathy with people I'm close to but I have strong cognitive empathy.

[faithevolution]

I can feel overwhelming empathy if someone is showing their pain or is crying. I will do everything that I can to help them if I see the pain. But I have a much harder time empathizing if someone is silent or hiding their pain.

[chefamy]

To be honest I think I’m quite empathetic

[rev.jesseabelchristianlife]

Yes ... Autistic people can feel emotions 200 to 400 times greater than the average person! I am very loving, caring and emotional. I am overly loving.

[Scarlitcorpse]

I'm more of 2 and a little of 3 but I have a very hard time with the 1st one .... And that's the one people ask of me the most ...