It's common for those who experience high levels of empathy to find themselves in relationships with narcissists who either take advantage of or prey on what they perceive to be a weaker group. Narcissism is a self-serving condition in which the focus is on image, status, and getting things rather than on giving and serving others. In other words: lack of empathy is at the root of narcissism.

The challenge that empaths can have in relationships is that they often give their power away. Highly sensitive people will help others first, putting their own needs last, partly because they intuitively know what others want from them. They vitally need to set healthy boundaries, which can be a challenge.