Marie has been working as a counselor for about 9 years. She is well trained, qualified and experienced and has been working in private practice for over 6 years. Though Marie has a diverse range of clients her specialty has been in trauma.
Marie is good at her job and has loved the work. However Marie has felt increasingly tired over the past year or so. A tiredness that is not alleviated by having a good sleep or a weekend off. Marie has been feeling quite down, she often has headaches and tummy upsets. Marie is usually fairly easy going but lately has been finding herself getting angry with her husband and children. Marie feels that no one understands how she feels or what she has to deal with and she feels helpless herself in dealing with her vulnerability and exhaustion
Even after the recent holiday break Marie has not felt recharged and is dreading going back to work.
Sound familiar? Marie has what is known as Compassion Fatigue.
What it is
The symptoms
What to do about it and how to avoid it
What is it?
Compassion fatigue is a form of burnout with a deep physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion accompanied by acute emotional pain. The affected person finds it difficult to give themselves fully to their clients/patients, and find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance of empathy and objectivity. Their tiredness does not abate after a good sleep or a break.
There is a common occurrence for people who work with clients with PTSD/trauma or who are in a caregiver role.
Symptoms
It is something that occurs over time, taking weeks and sometimes years to surface.
There is a low level, chronic clouding of concern for others in your life. Over time your ability to feel and care for others becomes eroded through overuse of your skills or compassion.
Some of the symptoms are:
a decrease in empathyirritability, constant feelings of stress and anxietythe inability to focusfeelings of doubt and inadequacyreoccurring nightmares or flashbacksabusing drugs, alcohol or foodanger, blaming (feeling like no one understands)chronic latenessdepressiondiminished sense of personal accomplishmentfrequent headacheshigh self expectationshopelessnesshypertensionincreased irritabilityless ability to feel joylow self esteemsleep disturbancesworkaholism
What to do if you have it and how to avoid it.
Acknowledging that you may have it is very important.Re focus on your self and take care of your own well being as a foremost concern.Find someone to talk toUnderstand that the pain you feel is normalStart exercising and eating properlyGet enough sleep and plenty of rest. If you can afford it, take a complete break from your work.Cut out any addictions you may have developed.Take some time offRemember that the healing process takes time.Develop interests outside of your practicePractice Mindfulness/ meditation and have time alone.Take time for self reflection, identify what’s important for you and live in a way that reflects that.Develop principles of practice which are guidelines of personal integrity that articulate the parameters of your personal values, and then live and work within these parameters.
A few words of warning
While in the healing process:
Don’t make any big decisionsDon’t blame othersAvoid the habit of complaining with your colleaguesDon't self medicate or work harder/longerDon't neglect your own needs or interests
Suggested Website for mindfulness programmes particularly suitable for practitioners by a practitioner in NZ.
http://www.mindfulnessauckland.co.nz/
Suggested Reading:
Compassion Fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatised. Figley CR,ed. New York: brunner/Mazel;1995
The Truth About Burnout.Maslach C, leiter MP. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1997
Wherever You Go,There you are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Kabat-Zinn J. New York: Hyperion,1994.