One recent study published in the journal Aging & Mental Health shows that 71% of family caregivers experience high levels of caregiver burden, or stress, and as many as 59.5% experience signs of burnout or compassion fatigue.
Compassion fatigue is a condition beyond burnout, which describes a stage of extreme tension and stress. Unlike burnout, compassion fatigue is a secondary stress disorder caused by exposure to the traumatic experiences of the person who they are acting as caregiver for.
Unlike caregiver burnout, which occurs gradually over time, compassion fatigue may arise out of the blue and unexpectedly. You may truly want to continue providing care and assistance, but you basically feel too overwhelmed.
Compassion fatigue involves a gradual reduction of compassion over time. It's common in professions that depend on a compassionate workforce like nursing, social work and clinical psychology. People who care for family members with serious illnesses and the news-consuming public are also at risk of compassion fatigue.
What causes caregiver burnout? Caregivers often are so busy caring for others that they tend to neglect their own emotional, physical and spiritual health. The demands on a caregiver's body, mind and emotions can easily seem overwhelming, leading to fatigue, hopelessness and ultimately burnout.
Indeed, family caregivers, while struggling to adjust to new responsibilities and roles [5], may experience negative psychological outcomes that include new or worsening depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms [6].
Caregiving often results in chronic stress, which comprises caregiver's physical psychological health. Depression is one of the common negative effects of caregiving. Caring for a person with dementia is particularly challenging, causing more severe negative health effects than other types of caregiving.
This study also found that 85% of nurses experience Secondary Traumatic Stress. While Compassion Fatigue can happen to any nurse, at any time, nurses working in oncology, emergency, intensive care units, pediatric units and hospice care are at the greatest risk of developing Compassion Fatigue.
Compassion fatigue refers to an identifiable set of negative psychological symptoms that caregivers experience as a result of providing care while being exposed to either primary trauma (experiencing the trauma first hand) or secondary trauma (rendering care to those experiencing trauma) (Figley, 1995).
Warning signs of compassion fatigue
reduced feelings of empathy and sensitivity. feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by work demands. feeling detached, numb and emotionally disconnected. loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy.
Watch for these symptoms of compassion fatigue
Feeling physical, psychological and emotional exhaustion.
40% to 70% of family caregivers report clinical symptoms of depression. 23% report caregiving has negatively impacted their physical health.
CF is “identical to secondary traumatic stress disorder (STSD) and is the equivalent of PTSD” (Figley, 1995, p. xv). Within professional literature, compassion fatigue is also known as secondary traumatization, secondary traumatic stress disorder, or vicarious traumatization ( Figley, 1995; McCann & Saakvitne, 1995).
Compassion fatigue is a term that describes the impact of helping others. Burnout is a term that describes the impact of a stressful workplace. Compassion fatigue has a quicker recovery time than burnout, if managed early. Burnout has a longer recovery time.
In this tip sheet, you will learn about the causes and signs of compassion fatigue (CF) and tips for how to prevent it from happening to you. Research indicates that CF is made up of two main components: burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
Personal risk factors for compassion fatigue can include having a history of trauma or a pre-existing psychological disorder, isolation, and a lack of social support.
Signs such as avoiding the loved one, anger, fatigue, depression, impaired sleep, poor health, irritability or that terrible sense that there is “no light at the end of the tunnel” are warnings that the caregiver needs time off and support with caregiving responsibilities.
Often, impatience and anger stem from exhaustion. Caregiving can sap your strength mentally, and it can have negative effects on your physical health if it disrupts your sleep or eating habits. If other family members cannot take over caregiving duties for a day or more, consider hiring a Care Professional.
Caregiver stress syndrome or burnout is defined as a state of emotional, mental, or physical exhaustion that can affect that person's ability to give care. After all, serving as a caregiver is highly demanding, making it difficult for the one providing care to tend to their own needs first.