When empathy turns into control... I used to think I was being loving when I tried to fix her emotions. But underneath that “care” was actually fear. Fear of being consumed by her pain. Fear that if I didn’t make her okay, I wouldn’t be okay either. That’s not empathy. That’s enmeshment. Toxic empathy looks like: 👉🏼 I feel your feelings so strongly that I try to control your choices 👉🏼 I can’t separate your emotional world from mine 👉🏼 I lose my peace unless you feel peaceful Real empathy