You aren't just sensitive, you're biologically wired for connection. It's your mirror neurons; it allows us to feel what others are feeling. If you're constantly surrounded by stress, your brain copies that too. These tiny cells are the reason emotions are literally contagious. Understanding the neurobiology of empathy is the first step in realizing why guarding your peace is a physiological necessity. But then what's the psychology behind it? A group of scientists discovered something that changed psychology forever; our brains don't always distinguish between our own actions and the actions we observe in others. The researchers also observed that the same neurons fired in macaque monkeys were observed to grab peanuts just as a researcher grabbed his, showing how our brain reacts by what we observe. We don't just think, we are internally stimulated by what we see.
They are known as the social glue of the human brain. These neuron pathways are mood contagion, they stimulate empathy and compassion, and skill acquisition. While they are important, they can lead to burnout through emotional stress, and in an environment with highly stressed individuals, it can be contagious. People say yawning in a room makes an observer yawn as well, this is because the neuron pathways are designed to learn and react. But there are certain ways to prevent it. If we don't learn to set boundaries, we may end up living someone else's burnout.
From my observations, these had helped me deal with mirroring. I started to learn how to deal with it when I found myself absorbing into everyone else's energy
Image generated using Gemini AI
Don't allow what you see get to you: This act helps you put a shield that prevents the brain from mirroring. Sometimes people get too attached and in the process suffer from the effect of the mirror neurons. When we notice an unhealthy energy around us, instead of absorbing, we can learn to only observe by forcing our brain not to get absorbed in the act.
Audit what your eyes feed on: Yes, the easiest way to avoid mirroring bad energy especially when we easily get absorbed is to check what our eyes feed on. If we become too sensitive when we see blood, your brain internally stimulates that physical distress. The best way to avoid absorbing the energy is to avoid staring at such scenes.
Reset the process: changing the environment, taking a walk(I do this sometimes), splashing of water etc. all these can help one reset the nervous system and break the mirror loop. Taking such a break brings about a reset to the nervous system. It all depends on what works for one, but as long as we practice what refreshes our brain, we can escape the mirror loop.
