What is the difference between feeling sorry for someone and feeling compassion?

Empathizing is knowing what another person is feeling. It doesn't necessarily imply anything more than that awareness. Some empaths use this knowledge to their own advantage, some to that of others.

Compassion is actually feeling what another person is feeling. It's like empathy with sharing. It is derived from words literally meaning 'to suffer together'.

Sympathy is a feeling of 'togetherness'. Compassion can make you sympathize (because you are literally in the same emotional boat) but it's not necessary that you have any awareness of someone else's feelings... just that you feel you two are a kind of unit.

Pity was originally the same word a 'piety'. It designated a kind-hearted affection and duty. It is something YOU feel and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how someone else feels. Of course, if you empathize with someone feeling poorly, you may feel it is your duty to make them feel better. These days pity implies that superior position... the duty of a master for an underling.

Feeling sorry is for a special time;

but compassion is a deep feeling that takes place in deep thoughts.

All the people cannot feel the compassion, because it needs a deeper world of thoughts. But feeling sorry is more likely known, because all the people may live it in daily lives.

Feeling Sorry For Someone

To be sorry is an emotion and that is where it ends. It does not move you to do anything just to see how bad things went for that other person and you say "wow that's bad", you "FEEL" sorry. Compassion goes beyond feeling, it moves you to action to assist or help the other person in any way you can, it is more of a spiritual state of your soul and the capacity to love that person, no matter if you know her/him or not, to the point where you will help them without expecting anything back.

What if someone recklessly does something example: a young mother & mother to be again is taking drugs before and probably at the beginning of her trimester and the baby is born prematurily and w/severe medical condition. Its hard for me to feel compassion for her because she knew better than to take illegal drugs, however I do have compassion for the baby. Is it wrong that I dont have compassion for her?

Yes - sorry is about the situation, compassion is deeper and about the feelings of the person

e.g - i felt sorry for my mate who just got kicked outta her house, but couldn't feel compassion coz i have no idea wot being kicked outta my house would be like...like i felt sorry and wished it would get better for her, but it wasn't as strong as compassion

However, my other mate who is trying to get into uni has no idea wot to put on her personal statement...i remembered back to when i did mine, and felt compassionately sorry for her...

Compassion > Feeling sorry

Compassion usually is felt much deeper and therefore causing one to take action. Merely feeling sorry for a fellow usually doesn't constitute one to take action to make change.

i think having compassion means you really care and feeling sorry is just understanding their problem

"it is You wearing different clothes "...i think is the end is the same...you can not show compassion, if you do not feel about it!