Do you have to be someone else to understand what they go through?

Well, understanding a thing and living a thing are two separate experiences.

To know exactly what they go through, sure. But to understand it? Not at all. You don't have to have cancer to understand that a cancer patient's situation is terrible and they have a hell of a struggle to go through that they might not survive.

For me it comes naturally.
Not exactly, but in a very perceptive manner.

Depends on the severity of it all.. we’re all unique with our own perspectives.. and with individual experiences but everyone has a story they can share that can most likely be relatable to another person..

No, but your level of understanding is often more todo with their ability to communicate and your ability to genuinely listen then empathize.

You might understand what they are going through to an extent, but you're not going to ever have their same exact situation.

Yes. There is no such thing as true empathy. The next best thing is imagining what it was like for them.