“stress contagion”—when devastating events to a loved one roll over into your own life. In this case, your sister is likely to rely on you for emotional support. You may have to sit with her through long evenings and take tearful calls in the middle of the night. She may need your help with child care, burdening your already busy schedule. You experience anger at her spouse, and you lose sleep ruminating about it. Most important, you have a front-row seat to watch someone you love suffer, which research shows is extraordinarily stressful. Our natural ability to empathize makes us feel as if we
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