{"id":55025,"date":"2023-09-29T05:37:26","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T05:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=55025"},"modified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","slug":"empathy-vs-sympathy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/","title":{"rendered":"Empathy vs Sympathy: What Is The Difference &#038; Which One Is Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Is_Sympathy\" >What Is Sympathy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Is_Empathy\" >What Is Empathy?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Cognitive_empathy\" >Cognitive empathy\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Emotional_empathy\" >Emotional empathy\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Is_An_Example_of_Sympathy\" >What Is An Example of Sympathy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Are_5_Examples_of_Empathy\" >What Are 5 Examples of Empathy?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Offering_to_get_lunch_for_an_overwhelmed_coworker_who_cannot_leave_their_desk_to_get_lunch\" >Offering to get lunch for an overwhelmed coworker who cannot leave their desk to get lunch\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Being_there_for_a_friend_who_is_crying_because_she_lost_her_husband\" >Being there for a friend who is crying because she lost her husband:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Validating_your_friends_feelings_who_is_angry_about_a_situation\" >Validating your friend\u2019s feelings who is angry about a situation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Actively_listening_without_judgment\" >Actively listening without judgment<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Is_The_Golden_Rule_Of_Empathy\" >What Is The Golden Rule Of Empathy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Is_Better_Sympathy_or_Empathy\" >What Is Better: Sympathy or Empathy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Are_The_Main_3_Differences_Between_Sympathy_And_Empathy\" >What Are The Main 3 Differences Between Sympathy And Empathy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#The_emotion\" >The emotion\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Perspective\" >Perspective\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#The_level_of_understanding\" >The level of understanding\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#The_level_of_judgment_passed_on\" >The level of judgment passed on\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Compassion_vs_Empathy_What_Is_The_Difference\" >Compassion vs Empathy: What Is The Difference?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Is_Empathy_vs_Sympathy_In_A_Relationship\" >What Is Empathy vs Sympathy In A Relationship?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Can_A_Person_Lack_Empathy\" >Can A Person Lack Empathy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#Is_Empathy_A_Skill\" >Is Empathy A Skill?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#What_Are_The_Principles_Of_Empathy\" >What Are The Principles Of Empathy?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathy and sympathy are two words that are often used interchangeably in everyday speech. That said, are they really the same thing, and should we be using empathy and sympathy interchangeably?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2196&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=empathy_vs_sympathy\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to know more about empathy vs. sympathy, you are in the right place. Let\u2019s take a minute to look into the differences, some examples, and most of all, which one may be better to use in everyday life.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Sympathy\"><\/span><b>What Is Sympathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To better understand the empathy vs. sympathy debate, it does well to understand the different definitions of each word.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Merriam-Webster<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dictionary, sympathy is simply a sincere concern towards someone who is going through something difficult or painful (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/sympathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, if a friend tells you that they are going through a breakup or they have lost someone or something important to them and you feel pity or sorrow, that is sympathy. Essentially, you are sad for them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Something tells us you often forget to put all the everyday hustle and bustle on hold and simply concentrate on yourself. It\u2019s time to straighten out your priorities! Take a moment to heal, process your emotions, ground yourself, release all the pent-up tension and recharge with the BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app before getting back into the race of life! &quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:4352,&quot;11&quot;:4,&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Arial&quot;}\"><strong>Something tells us you often forget to put all the everyday hustle and bustle on hold and simply concentrate on yourself. It\u2019s time to straighten out your priorities! Take a moment to heal, process your emotions, ground yourself, release all the pent-up tension and recharge with the <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2196&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=empathy_vs_sympathy\">BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app<\/a> before getting back into the race of life!<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Empathy\"><\/span><b>What Is Empathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathy goes beyond sympathy. With sympathy, you simply feel bad or sad for a person without putting yourself in their shoes. It&#8217;s a feeling expressed by someone looking at something from the outside.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, empathy involves understanding the feelings that the other person is going through and seeing things from their point of view. A person who is empathetic understands or vicariously experiences another person&#8217;s feelings, perceptions and thoughts. They are able to see things not from their own view but also from someone else&#8217;s&#8217; (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.apa.org\/empathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there are several kinds of empathy, the two primary types that people experience are (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/cognitive-and-emotional-empathy-4582389\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cognitive_empathy\"><\/span><b>Cognitive empathy\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the ability to understand how someone thinks or feels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example &#8211; A friend has been giving their all at work in the hopes of being chosen for a new project or qualify for a promotion. Unfortunately, despite all their hard work, they are not chosen. Cognitive empathy helps us understand why the friend would be feeling bad, hurt and disappointed about this.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Emotional_empathy\"><\/span><b>Emotional empathy\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the ability to feel the emotions that the other person is going through. I.e. A friend&#8217;s, partner\u2019s, or family member\u2019s emotions can impact your emotions too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take the example above. With cognitive empathy, you are able to understand your friends feelings. However, with emotional empathy, your friend\u2019s feelings, be they of anger, frustration or sadness will affect yours too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you listen to them, you might notice that you begin to mirror them too. If they are crying, you end up feeling sad. If they are frustrated, you might get angry at the unfairness or the situation, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ability to empathize with others could be attributed to the presence of mirror neurons. Found in different areas of the brain, this distinctive class of neurons are released when a person makes a movement and sees another person making the same movement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mirror neuron system in empathy is said to activate when we see someone going through something that we\u2019ve been through before. These neurons tend to simulate the same thoughts, emotions, and sensations that someone else is experiencing in ourselves &#8211; automatically making us share in the experience (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/positivepsychology.com\/mirror-neurons\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put it simply, the difference in the definition of empathy vs. sympathy is that in the latter, you simply feel and express pity towards someone and their situation, while in the former, you understand and feel the emotions a person is going through and showcase compassionate behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2196&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=empathy_vs_sympathy\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-1024x576.png\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-370x208.png 370w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-270x152.png 270w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-570x321.png 570w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-740x416.png 740w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806-1635x920.png 1635w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207806.png 1729w\" alt=\"3 difference between sympathy and empathy\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_An_Example_of_Sympathy\"><\/span><b>What Is An Example of Sympathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have all expressed this emotion more than once in our lives. Some common examples of sympathy include<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reassuring a friend or coworker after something bad happened &#8211; e.g., I\u2019m sorry your partner broke up with you, or I\u2019m sorry the boss yelled at you.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offering condolences such as sending flowers and a card to the bereaved<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling pity towards the homeless and buying food and a drink for a homeless person or giving them some money to do so<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling sorry for someone and telling them you are sorry when something bad happens to them &#8211; This could be for something as small as hurting their toe to something as life-altering as losing a loved one<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are sympathetic to someone, you often do not fully understand their perspectives or emotions, but you acknowledge their suffering\/hardship and do something to try and reassure them. In some cases, sympathy is said to help the observer (not necessarily the person going through the situation) feel better (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5405806\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read more:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-exercises-for-anxiety\/\">8 Somatic Exercises for Anxiety, with Step-by-Step Instructions.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_5_Examples_of_Empathy\"><\/span><b>What Are 5 Examples of Empathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While sympathy is often selfish and self-preserving, empathy is not. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychology Today<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> describes this emotion as one&#8217;s ability to recognize and share in the emotions of either another person, a fictional character, or a sentient being and offer compassionate behavior that comes naturally (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/empathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through empathy, you are able to see a given situation from someone else\u2019s perspective and simultaneously share in the emotions felt due to the situation at hand (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/hide-and-seek\/201410\/empathy-and-altruism-are-they-selfish\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This could be anything from happiness and excitement to sadness, frustration and even anguish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The opposite of empathy is usually disinterest, callousness, harshness or coldheartedness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To understand how empathy works, you must remember that this cognitive response comes from \u2018putting yourself in someone else\u2019s shoes\u2019. Some examples of empathic responses can include<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Offering_to_get_lunch_for_an_overwhelmed_coworker_who_cannot_leave_their_desk_to_get_lunch\"><\/span><b>Offering to get lunch for an overwhelmed coworker who cannot leave their desk to get lunch\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While offering to take over some of their workload would be best, it could be that you work in a different department and cannot do their work for them. Instead of just feeling sorry for them that they have too much work and can\u2019t go out for lunch, offer to buy them their meal or snack so that they can eat comfortably as they work.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Being_there_for_a_friend_who_is_crying_because_she_lost_her_husband\"><\/span><b>Being there for a friend who is crying because she lost her husband:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;I&#8217;m truly sorry to learn about the loss of your husband. You must miss him deeply. I want you to know that I&#8217;m here to support you during this difficult time.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Validating_your_friends_feelings_who_is_angry_about_a_situation\"><\/span><b>Validating your friend\u2019s feelings who is angry about a situation<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If someone is upset or angry, you can understand their emotions and acknowledge their feelings by saying, &#8220;I can understand why you would feel that way,&#8221; or &#8220;Your feelings are completely valid.&#8221;Statements such as \u2018I\u2019m sorry to hear that you are having trouble, \u2018I\u2019m happy to help!\u2019, \u2018I can hear that this is important for you,\u2019 \u2018I\u2019m sorry you\u2019ve had to deal with this,\u2019 etc. are signs of empathy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Actively_listening_without_judgment\"><\/span><b>Actively listening without judgment<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, a friend may come to you hurt over something or someone that you explicitly told them to avoid. Instead of jumping at the opportunity to say \u2018I told you so,\u2019 choose to reserve judgment and listen to them rant. Offer a shoulder to cry on if they need it. You can even go further and find ways to shift their mood from their sadness by doing fun things like friend dates. It is also important to pay attention and \u2018listen\u2019 to non-verbal cues such as their body language and tone of voice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2196&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=empathy_vs_sympathy\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-1024x576.png\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-370x208.png 370w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-270x152.png 270w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-570x321.png 570w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-740x416.png 740w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Frame-207713.png 1728w\" alt=\"Examples of sympathy\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_The_Golden_Rule_Of_Empathy\"><\/span><b>What Is The Golden Rule Of Empathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The golden rule of empathy has always been to treat others how you\u2019d like to be treated. This rule is one of empathy and helps us treat others with respect, kindness, and fairness (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/alpanajha.medium.com\/empowering-humanity-with-kindness-and-empathy-the-golden-rule-unveiled-41d9defcf23c\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the golden rule has been challenged, with some people choosing to drop it in favor of what can be called the platinum rule. This rule states that instead of treating others how we\u2019d like to be treated, we should treat them how <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they\u2019d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like to be treated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Challengers of the golden rule claim that this rule assumes that all people are the same and we all think and feel the same way (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/320818681_Overcoming_the_Golden_Rule_Sympathy_and_Empathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This is wrong because we all have different ethnicities, genders, and races and have different personalities, traits, hobbies, desires, experiences, etc. (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2022\/08\/its-time-to-stop-following-the-golden-rule\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the new golden rule (or platinum rule), you are required to pay closer attention to those around you. Listen to them and learn what they are like, what they need, and stop with the assumptions. This is said to help you be better at showing empathy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>With stress being a constant presence in our lives, taking time to process emotions, decompress and get into the right frame of mind is absolutely crucial. With BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app your mental health is in good hands! <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2196&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=empathy_vs_sympathy\">Start using it now<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Better_Sympathy_or_Empathy\"><\/span><b>What Is Better: Sympathy or Empathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the empathy vs. sympathy definitions, we see that having empathy is much better than simply being sympathetic. Not only is sympathy usually self-serving, but research has also shown that it is often unwanted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One study done via an interview on 53 cancer patients revealed the following differences between empathy and sympathy (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5405806\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wpsm-comptable-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<table id=\"wpsm-table-204\" class=\"wpsm-comptable \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<thead class=\"wpsm-thead wpsm-thead-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<th class=\"placeholder wpsm-placeholder\"><\/th>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<th>Sympathy<\/th>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<th>Empathy<\/th>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/thead>\n\t\t\t\t\t<tbody class=\"wpsm-tbody\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDefining Characteristics\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUnhelpful, lacks understanding, based on ego and self-preserving\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAcknowledges suffering, based on genuine emotion and understanding, affective response\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tResponse Type\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA visceral reaction to a distressing situation\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tObjection and affective response to a distressing situation\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmotions of the person offering a response\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmotional dissonance\r\n(aka discrepancy between required and felt emotions)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmotional resonance and contagion\r\n(aka able to connect with and influence the emotions of others)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMotivations to response offered\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPity, ego or obligation\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCircumstantial depending on the \/affective state of observer\/duty\/relatedness to patient\/deservedness of patient\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIntended outcome of response by responder\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSelf-preservation\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tObjective and affective understanding of sufferer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOutcomes reported by patients in the study to the response\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDemoralized\r\nPatronized\r\nOverwhelmed\r\nCompounded suffering\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHeard\r\nUnderstood\r\nValidated\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\n\t\t\t\t<\/table>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using the above empathy vs. sympathy examples of how people feel, it\u2019s clear to see that empathy is by far better than simple sympathy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_The_Main_3_Differences_Between_Sympathy_And_Empathy\"><\/span><b>What Are The Main 3 Differences Between Sympathy And Empathy<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 4 main things you need to understand to better differentiate between these two are (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychmc.com\/blogs\/empathy-vs-sympathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_emotion\"><\/span><b>The emotion\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sympathy is based on ego, while empathy comes from the heart. Empathy involves the capacity to recognize and comprehend another individual&#8217;s circumstances and emotions, while sympathy pertains to experiencing sorrow and pity in response to someone else&#8217;s adversity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Perspective\"><\/span><b>Perspective\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathy involves viewing a situation from the other person&#8217;s perspective, while sympathy involves looking at it from our own perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_level_of_understanding\"><\/span><b>The level of understanding\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sympathy represents a more superficial level of understanding, while empathy demands a deeper and more profound comprehension of another person&#8217;s feelings and experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_level_of_judgment_passed_on\"><\/span><b>The level of judgment passed on\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sympathy typically entails a surface-level grasp of someone&#8217;s situation, making it prone to judgment, while empathy enables individuals to delve into another person&#8217;s thoughts and emotions, reducing the likelihood of passing judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read more: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/restorative-yoga-poses\/\">Restorative Yoga Poses &#8211; A Restful Practice for Better Health.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><b>FAQs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Compassion_vs_Empathy_What_Is_The_Difference\"><\/span><b>Compassion vs Empathy: What Is The Difference?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As previously described, empathy is the choice to not only acknowledge someone\u2019s feelings but the attempt to understand what they are going through. Compassion literally means \u201cto suffer together\u201d and often involves an empathic response and altruistic behavior. And is defined as the emotional response when perceiving suffering and involves an authentic desire to help (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5405806\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Empathy_vs_Sympathy_In_A_Relationship\"><\/span><b>What Is Empathy vs Sympathy In A Relationship?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As said before, sympathy is \u2018me\u2019 oriented while empathy is \u2018you\u2019 oriented. To practice empathy in your relationships, be it romantic, platonic, parental etc. look at it from the other person\u2019s perspective and understand the other person\u2019s struggles, and find ways to help them out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better yet, help them in ways that they like. Try to avoid sympathy or pity towards any relationships that you want to foster and grow.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_A_Person_Lack_Empathy\"><\/span><b>Can A Person Lack Empathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, a person can lack empathy. Such people tend to have a hard time understanding what other people are feeling. They are often extremely critical of others, judgmental, impatient, cannot forgive easily, have trouble maintaining relationships, consider others to be \u2018too sensitive\u2019, self-centered, and will shift the blame for anything bad that has happened to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lack of empathy can have many causes, including genetics, low emotional intelligence (EI), their up-brining and environment, and mental health disorders such as antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), autism, etc (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psychcentral.com\/lib\/why-do-some-people-lack-empathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41398-017-0082-6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Empathy_A_Skill\"><\/span><b>Is Empathy A Skill?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, it is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we said before, empathy is both a skill and a choice. Some people feel more empathy than others, and if you feel that you aren\u2019t empathetic enough, you can always work to learn and improve. However, we should warn that while being empathetic is good, it has its downside.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathy <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/5-stages-of-burnout\/\">burnout<\/a> is an issue often faced by those who are deeply empathetic (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/science-made-practical\/201911\/how-avoid-empathy-burnout\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This can result in feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, low energy levels, isolation from others, and less capable of providing effective support and care to others. Some empathy <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/burnout-prevention-strategies\/\">burnout prevention strategies<\/a> include<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice self-compassion &#8211; At the end of the day, you are human and cannot fix everything, no matter how much you want to. Do not beat yourself up for being unable to help<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set boundaries with yourself &#8211; Do not let your emotions run the show<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check in with yourself &#8211; Sure other people are important, but no one should come before your health. If you start feeling overwhelmed, take a break and practice positive coping strategies such as gardening, painting, yoga etc. Fill your cup before filling others.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try meditation &#8211; Meditation benefits and techniques are a good way to get rid of <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/can-stress-cause-weight-loss-even-when-eating\/\">stress<\/a> and unwanted thoughts. If you have never meditated before try mindfulness for beginners to ease you into the practice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re experiencing burnout, consider reaching out to a therapist for professional assistance to guide you through this challenging time.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_The_Principles_Of_Empathy\"><\/span><b>What Are The Principles Of Empathy?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some things you can do to better this skill include (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/mindful-anger\/201809\/learn-empathy-in-just-5-steps\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always be present &#8211; i.e pay attention to what the other person is saying<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show that you are listening &#8211; This could be through simple gestures like nodding, giving appropriate reactions where needed, touching their hands, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be respectful of the person&#8217;s situation. Do not be sarcastic and if the situation\/conversation brings out negative emotions in you, e.g. anger, ask to take a break to calm down before continuing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engage in the conversation &#8211; This goes back to point number 2. Aside from showing that you are listening, ask appropriate questions or clarification for things that you may not have understood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Validate emotions &#8211; It\u2019s not all the time that someone will come to you and you\u2019ll immediately agree with them or understand what they are going through. Despite this, do not reject them or their feelings. Instead acknowledge the fact that they have every right to feel as they do<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the empathy vs sympathy debate, the former will always come first. Not only does it do more for the other person, but it is also a great way to develop deep connections with those around you. It can also teach you emotional regulation which is important in dealing with stressful situations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Empathy and sympathy are two words that are often used interchangeably in everyday speech. That said, are they really the same thing, and should we be using empathy and sympathy interchangeably?\u00a0 If you\u2019d like to know more about empathy vs. sympathy, you are in the right place. Let\u2019s take a minute to look into the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[132],"tags":[],"coauthors":[109,213],"class_list":["post-55025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mental-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Empathy vs Sympathy: What Is The Difference &amp; Which One Is Better? - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you curious about the \u2605 EMPATHY VS SYMPATHY \u27a4 differences? Check out this article to learn how to differentiate between sympathetic and empathetic responses\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Empathy vs Sympathy: What Is The Difference &amp; Which One Is Better?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are you curious about the \u2605 EMPATHY VS SYMPATHY \u27a4 differences? Check out this article to learn how to differentiate between sympathetic and empathetic responses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"#\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/shutterstock_1792769524-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u0421. Kamau, Sachini Akuretiya, MS\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u0421. Kamau, Sachini Akuretiya, MS\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"BetterMe\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/5ebf2773ceb32ef6b8abc0c882459360\"},\"headline\":\"Empathy vs Sympathy: What Is The Difference &#038; Which One Is Better?\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/\"},\"wordCount\":2508,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dev.cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/shutterstock_1792769524-scaled.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Mental Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Empathy and sympathy are two words that are often used interchangeably in everyday speech. That said, are they really the same thing, and should we be using empathy and sympathy interchangeably?\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">If you\u2019d like to know more about empathy vs. sympathy, you are in the right place. Let\u2019s take a minute to look into the differences, some examples, and most of all, which one may be better to use in everyday life.<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Is Sympathy?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">To better understand the empathy vs. sympathy debate, it does well to understand the different definitions of each word.<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">According to the <\/span><i><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Merriam-Webster<\/span><\/i><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> dictionary, sympathy is simply a sincere concern towards someone who is going through something difficult or painful (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/sympathy\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">).\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">For example, if a friend tells you that they are going through a breakup or they have lost someone or something important to them and you feel pity or sorrow, that is sympathy. 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Kamau, Sachini Akuretiya, MS","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"\u0421. Kamau, Sachini Akuretiya, MS","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/"},"author":{"name":"BetterMe","@id":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/5ebf2773ceb32ef6b8abc0c882459360"},"headline":"Empathy vs Sympathy: What Is The Difference &#038; Which One Is Better?","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/"},"wordCount":2508,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/empathy-vs-sympathy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dev.cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/shutterstock_1792769524-scaled.jpg","articleSection":["Mental Health"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathy and sympathy are two words that are often used interchangeably in everyday speech. That said, are they really the same thing, and should we be using empathy and sympathy interchangeably?\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to know more about empathy vs. sympathy, you are in the right place. Let\u2019s take a minute to look into the differences, some examples, and most of all, which one may be better to use in everyday life.<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Is Sympathy?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To better understand the empathy vs. sympathy debate, it does well to understand the different definitions of each word.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Merriam-Webster<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dictionary, sympathy is simply a sincere concern towards someone who is going through something difficult or painful (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/sympathy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, if a friend tells you that they are going through a breakup or they have lost someone or something important to them and you feel pity or sorrow, that is sympathy. 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