Published on 12, July, 2020
One thing I find ironic is how neurotypicals always say that we have no empathy, when in fact the opposite is true... I have hyper empathy, which is common in autistic people, apparently.
I can pick up people's mood straight away, and I have a particular soft spot for animals. The other day I started watching the documentary "Blackfish" on Netflix about killer whales in captivity, and it caused me immense distress because of how the animals are treated. It took me a while to calm down after that and I still feel a bit sad about it at the moment.
Does anyone else get distressed when watching something sad on TV?
Totally agree with you on this! I am definitely like this too! It's only when I tell people things that upset me that I get met with a blank stare and realise it's not how the masses think! I once was late for work cos I had to save a struggling butterfly from a spider web! I saw it on my front door on my way out and I just couldn't leave it there, spent ages getting the web gently off it's wings after so it could still fly! I also feel like a physical pain inside when I see a roadkill! I always comment on it and who ever I am in the car with rarely does! lol. I also get so upset watching anything about animal cruelty on t.v/internet so I avoid things like that now as it is a horrible feeling that lasts! - Once you've seen something, you can't un-see it!
I can relate on the roadkill front - whenever I see roadkill, it makes me feel physically sick. Also, the other week I was sitting on the bus and saw a man out of the window who had a huge wound on his neck. I couldn't look away and my neck started hurting too just from looking at it!
Glad it's not just me! :) My husbands like that too! If he saw someone with a wound or broken bone he pictures it happening so vividly that it really disturbs him. He can't watch any gory bits of violence in movies. For some weird reason it doesn't bother me when it's people! I just cannot stand animals getting hurt. I think its the defenceless thing! They can't defend or communicate as well as humans.. He's the opposite. So if we are watching a movie and someone pulls someone's arm back so hard it cracks, he looks away and can't get the noise out of his head. I can watch it no problem! But if an animal gets hurt or killed in a movie, I look away or leave the room and don't want to see it. But he can watch it with no issue! Strange!
I drive a lot, and see lots of roadkill; especially badgers. The commonplace nature of them means that I ignore it. But I would grieve for the animal in my heart.