Combating Compassion Fatigue: Help Yourself While Also Helping Others.
Compassion fatigue can be physical, emotional, or spiritual exhaustion that overtakes the otherwise positive and fulfilling experience of helping others when we over-empathize (Figley, 2002a). Often confused with burnout, compassion fatigue hits quicker, harder, and involves a depletion-of-self caused by supporting those in need in a manner that overwhelms (Delgadillo et al., 2018). Although they come in rather aggressively, the effects of compassion fatigue can come in silently, impacting caretakers for some time before they realize the root cause of their ailments. Therefore, combating compassion fatigue begins with awareness, according to psychologist Shawn Goldberg.
Awareness
Awareness can be difficult for caretakers, as it involves focusing inwards and gaining assertiveness in their ability to say “no” in order to tend to their own needs. However, it is important that caretakers keep in mind that their health and energy are vital when supporting others in any capacity.
Symptoms of compassion fatigue can be physical, psychological, emotional, and behavioral. They can include:
Physical: unusual sleeping patterns, weakness or tiredness, lack of energy, frequently falling ill, and changing eating habits.
Psychological and emotional: feeling sad, empty, lonely, numb, agitated, despair, stuck, or a loss of control.
Behavioral: withdrawal, lack of connection/avoiding connection, rejecting others, or feeling rejected.
Becoming aware of one’s triggers and their impact is a foundational step. When a caretaker becomes aware of their symptoms and the cause of these symptoms, they can then reflect on how triggers are linked to personal beliefs or vulnerabilities, such as self-criticism or low self-compassion, in order to counteract them (Duarte & Pinto-Gouveia, 2017). Caretakers can then create realistic expectations for themselves, which guides them towards the next step, which is finding balance.
Life Balance
Setting realistic expectations for oneself includes the ability to maintain life balance. This means dedicating time and effort towards nourishing the areas of wellness, including physical, spiritual, relational, emotional, and intellectual (Figley, 2002b).
There are a number of ways to maintain balance. Caretakers, for example, can focus on fostering healthy habits (sleep, nutrition, keeping up with doctor’s appointments, etc.), practicing grounding or mindfulness techniques, taking time doing what they love with the people that they love, or taking a class in something that interests them. If caretakers can set the intention of consistently and wholeheartedly contributing focused energy towards each area of wellness, they will find their levels of compassion fatigue greatly diminished.
Fostering Connection
Compassion fatigue can lead caretakers to feel as if they are on an island, at times. It can lead to isolation or feelings that one is isolated even if one is surrounded by others. Purposeful connection can counter these feelings and can lead to caretakers feeling cared for, which can do wonders for alleviating the symptoms of compassion fatigue.
Purposeful connection can take on many forms in many spheres of relationships. Loved ones, friends, coworkers, teams, and communities—there are a number of ways to connect and meaningful connections to make. Caretakers should make the effort to build and maintain valuable and supportive relationships on a number of levels. These connections can be lifelines in moments of need.
Compassion fatigue can hit hard, particularly for those in helping professions who experience high levels of empathy, high levels of self-criticism, or low levels of self-compassion. In order to continue to care for others to the best of their ability, however, caretakers must practice self-compassion and self-care, and they must create boundaries that allow them to thrive in the helping world.
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References
Delgadillo, J., Saxon, D., & Barkham, M. (2018). Associations between therapists’ occupational burnout and their patients’ depression and anxiety treatment outcomes. Depression and Anxiety, 35(9), 844–850.
Duarte, J., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2017). The role of psychological factors in oncology nurses' burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 28, 114–121. https://doi-org.proxy1.library.jhu.edu/10.1016/j.ejon.2017.04
Figley, C. R. (2002a). Compassion fatigue: Psychotherapists' chronic lack of self care. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(11), 1433–1441. https://doi-org.proxy1.library.jhu.edu/10.1002/jclp.10090
Figley, C. R. (2002b). Treating compassion fatigue. Routledge.