even if it’s not wrong, it could be a vulnerability (perceived or real). i work in an ER, and patients labeled as “narcotic-seeking” get stigmatized horribly. to express any sort of empathy for them will lead more seasoned ER staff to deride you, chuckle at your naievte, and scoff at how easily you got sucked into their deceitful game. thus, after a couple of those mistakes, you hide any empathy you may have for those patients, and thus the cycle continues.