Taking on other people's emotions -- why do I do this

[ButTrue]

Im not sure how to explain this but I'll do my best. I notice that when people are experiencing a strong emotion it affects me too in a way that I start feeling like that too.

As an example my colleague recently has got herself really worked up about some changes at work. I understand her concerns and yes it is going to be a bit rubbish but for me personally it's not too bad. However, I've got myself worked up about it too after having spoken to her.

My mil called panicking about something minor and so I panicked too even though in my head I knew there was nothing to panic about!

I was sat on a bench and 2 women nearby had an argument, obviously nothing to do with me. Their voices were raised and one of them was particularly angry. My heart just started racing and I was almost paralysed with fear.

There are loads of examples like this but I have only recently realised that I do this. Does anyone else do this? Is there a name for it? A reason?
Id love to understand why this happens as generally I'm a calm person mostly and I don't understand why I can't stay calm when people around me aren't.

I do this unless I very consciously work on not doing it (literally reminding myself to breathe, doing a body scan etc) — in my case it’s hypervigilance from childhood.

I’m particularly sensitised to male aggression, even when it’s not directed at me. My sister recently told me about a tradesman who got aggressive with her on the phone, and I could feel myself flinching even though the confrontation she was describing happened to someone else, over the phone, a week earlier, and she wasn’t particularly bothered by the time she recounted it.

I was just reading about this situation with people fairly recently and people who experience other people's emotions and can put themselves in their place are called empaths.
You have a very highly developed sense of empathy at least that's what it sounds like.

Oh wow, thank you I'll look this up.

Didn't really see it as me showing empathy. It's almost like I can't control my calmness when there's strong emotions around me.

Just Google characteristics of an empath OP, there are so many characteristics that you may find familiar but that's the first thing I thought of when I read your post .

Empsth maybe. More likely you’re female and have been socially conditioned to put everyone else’s feelings ahead of your own and you’ve honed the skill to a very high degree. So now you can’t separate other people’s emotions from your own. Are you also a ‘people pleaser’ by any chance?

I've had a read online and done a few online quizs and it looks like that I very empathetic but not necessarily an empath.

I did Come across about some stuff about grounding which sounded useful.