I don’t think empathy needs to be emotionally draining. I observe that some people are highly empathetic yet not dragged down by it at all: once they finish assisting or meeting a suffering person, they have undaunted joy and energy. Since realizing this I’ve tried to emulate them, at least on the not-dragged-down side of the equation. I think I’ve made progress. I don’t know how—my self-insight isn’t great—but maybe just by seeing it as possible.
For what it’s worth, your definitions of the terms match the ones I’ve seen.
I don’t think empathy needs to be emotionally draining. I observe that some people are highly empathetic yet not dragged down by it at all: once they finish assisting or meeting a suffering person, they have undaunted joy and energy. Since realizing this I’ve tried to emulate them, at least on the not-dragged-down side of the equation. I think I’ve made progress. I don’t know how—my self-insight isn’t great—but maybe just by seeing it as possible.
For what it’s worth, your definitions of the terms match the ones I’ve seen.