In the Part 1 you will engage in a self-assessment to determine how well you engage in the ABCs (Awareness, Balance, and Connection) of mitigating compassion fatigue.
Zombie – If we have not discovered ways to moderate our energy for the long view, how to accept imperfections in people and systems while working for improvements, and ways to focus through complexity, we may move into the zombie stage of compassion fatigue.
Some examples of common compassion fatigue triggers (causes) are: Providing therapy that introduces you to extreme or severe issues. Being physically or verbally threatened when providing care. Being confronted with suicide or threats of suicide by someone under your care.
To prevent or recover from compassion fatigue, take time for self-reflection, identify what's important and live in a way that reflects it. To sustain yourself at work, develop “principles of practice” — guidelines of personal integrity that articulate the parameters of your personal values.
Untreated, the symptoms of compassion fatigue can lead to mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders and substance use disorders. “It might sound cliché, but you need to put your own oxygen mask on before you help others with theirs,” Dr.
CF is defined as “a state of exhaustion and dysfunction – biologically, psychologically, and socially – as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress” (Figley, 1995, p. 253). CF is “identical to secondary traumatic stress disorder (STSD) and is the equivalent of PTSD” (Figley, 1995, p. xv).
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.
Being a peacemaker isn't about what you do — it's about who you are. Peacemakers stand out because they speak up for their values and make commitments to help the world. There are three values that define peacemakers and peacemaking projects: compassion, courage, and collaboration.
Compassion fatigue is a combination of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Burnout includes three parts : feelings of exhaustion, negative or cynical attitudes toward work, and a sense of not doing well or being effective in your work .
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.
Another study in the Journal of Adult Development reveals that family caregivers may be even more susceptible to compassion fatigue than formal caregivers because of the lack of systemic support they receive.
People vulnerable to compassion fatigue include those in helping professions and those caring for people with significant chronic illness. These helpers internalize their empathy for an extended time period which can result in feelings of hopelessness, irritability, and emotional exhaustion.
Compassion fatigue may cause a person to lose empathy for others. People with compassion fatigue may feel cynical, apathetic, or disconnected from others. Burnout typically gets better when a person takes time away from the source of the burnout. Compassion fatigue may persist.
Burnout Is a Result of Job-Related Stress
Compassion fatigue is a specific form of burnout from a professional's deep investment in aiding others. Vicarious trauma, sometimes called secondary traumatic stress, happens when professionals are repeatedly exposed to others' stress from traumatic events.
Compassion Fatigue Self-Test
Sample statements about you include: I force myself to avoid certain thoughts or feelings that remind me of a frightening experience. I find myself avoiding certain activities or situations because they remind me of a frightening experience.
Signs of STS can include: fatigue or illness, cynicism, irritability, reduced productivity, feelings of hopelessness, anger, despair, sadness, feelings of re-experiencing of the event, nightmares, anxiety, avoidance of people or activities, or persistent anger and sadness(Siegfried, 2008 & Conrad).
Of course, depression can co-exist with compassion fatigue, and if left untreated, compassion fatigue can certainly turn into depression.
Compassion fatigue has also been called secondary victimization, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatization, and secondary survivor.
Over the longer term, compassion fatigue can increase the incidence of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, as well as various gastrointestinal conditions and immune dysfunction (7). While some people manifest physical health problems, others manifest mental health problems.
The difference between compassion fatigue and burnout is their origin. More specifically, compassion fatigue originates from dealing with victims of trauma, and burnout originates from occupational stress and being overworked.
Empathy fatigue has also been thought of as a secondary traumatic stress disorder. It's the type of stress that comes from helping people day in and day out or witnessing or helping a person go through something awful. The stress and hardship of what you're experiencing, seeing and feeling starts to take a toll on you.