Yes, it really is a thing—a syndrome—and I am afflicted. In clinical terms, it’s a state of experiencing others’ emotions with such extreme intensity that it causes personal distress and blurs boundaries between self and others. K is well aware of my condition, and commiserates with me often. It’s an affliction that manifests with anxiety, fatigue and nausea. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as having too much empathy. But it’s not all bad, considering what the world needs now is more empathy, not less. Unfortunately, a handful of folks suffering from hyperempathy is not going to change the world. We sure as hell would, if we could.
I came across this syndrome when one of my developmental editors suggested that our mentorship group set our intentions as writers at the beginning of 2026. To inspire us, we read Octavia Butler’s Intention Manifesto. What a powerful motivational tool for writers. After carefully crafting my intentions for Pura Vida the Hard Way this year, I discovered Octavia’s series of novels, which are so relevant to today’s current events. A must-read for all of us longing for a benediction of hope. When I read Octavia’s Parable of the Sower, I was blessed with a powerful gift, a literary affirmation of my affliction.
My inspiration to write about hyperempathy syndrome came two nights ago, when K and I were preparing for bed. A mournful, high-pitched squeal cut through the thick night air, so loud it drowned out the earsplitting cacophony of cicadas. The terrified cries of what we assumed was a baby monkey under attack were enhanced by several other cries, presumably from some of the baby’s troop, desperately trying to defend their own. Gut-wrenching, horrific sounds. The nausea and lightheadedness hit me like a sledgehammer. We were powerless to do anything since the cries came from deep in the jungle. The battle went on for so long that we had to shut our windows and turn on the air to escape the painful scenario playing out in our backyard. The memory still haunts me.
Such is the cycle of life, amigos. Pura vida.
Judy Richter 