This quote beautifully captures the complex interplay between our emotional awareness and the impact of others' emotions on us. Emotions, by themselves, can be intense and overwhelming, but when we lack the tools or understanding to manage them effectively, the feelings of those around us can feel even more potent and consuming. It suggests a kind of emotional vulnerability where the boundaries between one's own feelings and others' become blurred, leading to an experience akin to being 'hit by a drug' — sudden, strong, and sometimes addictive.

In essence, this quote highlights the importance of emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, and regulate our own emotions—as a means to protect and preserve our mental and emotional equilibrium. When someone lacks this competence, they might find themselves overly affected by external emotions, potentially resulting in emotional overload or codependency. This might also explain why some people can feel drained or emotionally exhausted in social settings, as they unconsciously absorb emotions like a sponge.

Moreover, the metaphor of feeling emotions like a drug introduces an element of addiction, implying that people might subconsciously crave these intense emotional experiences or struggle to disengage from them once deeply affected. It resonates with the idea that emotional unawareness can lead not only to vulnerability but also to a cycle where one becomes dependent on external emotional stimuli.

Overall, this quote from 'The Kitchen Daughter' encourages a deeper reflection on self-awareness, emotional boundaries, and the active role we must take to develop a healthy relationship with our own feelings and those of others. It advocates for cultivating emotional skills as crucial life tools that guard our psyche and help maintain balance in interpersonal relationships.