Anyone ever told you you're too sensitive?

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I've been hearing that my whole life. I'm too sensitive. I cry too much. Blah blah blah. Unfortunately, because of all the harrassment, I moved further into the 'cold as ice' category! However, great as I've become at hiding behind a wall, I still feel everything. I'm starting to realize that this may be a gift, not a curse! Though, in order for this gift to realize it's full potential, I realize I've got some work to do.

A little background: I've discovered that I'm very sensitive to other people's feelings. When someone is upset or angry around me, whether it's AT me or at another situation that doesn't even involve me, I still feel pressure from those feelings. It's almost like it changes my entire cosmic make-up. I'm not sure if I feel like I need to do something to make those feelings go away, or what, but I feel some connection and responsibility to other people's feelings. It's a physical feeling inside my body. Does this happen to you? Throughout my life, I've not been aware of what this is about, so it's been misused and created some ill feelings for others and myself. I never knew how to explain it, or deal with it, so it always came out wrong, and inevitably made people around me feel even worse. I've always just wanted to help people through whatever they are feeling, cause I feel it too!!!!!

So, my questions are these: Does this have anything to do with being an empath? And, if so, how can I channel this ill feeling into something constructive for the person I'm feeling it from, and for myself?