What is Compassion Fatigue? 8 Top Tips To Prevent And Overcome It!

Feeling tired, stressed, or overwhelmed on the job? You could be experiencing the signs of compassion fatigue. What is compassion fatigue? In a nutshell, it’s the physical and psychological impact of having to care for others at work and home. 

This could be the case if you are in a managerial or supervisory position, are a frontliner and work in stressful jobs like healthcare, or you’re just the kind of person that your colleagues go to complain to.

Keep reading to find out the signs of burnout versus compassion fatigue, and how to prevent and overcome it to protect your physical and mental health.

Also read: How To Improve Your Mental Health By Opening Up To Your Boss

What Is Compassion Fatigue?

People experiencing stress often ask themselves whether they are suffering burnout or compassion fatigue. Medical and psychological experts say that compassion fatigue is similar to burnout. 

The difference is that burnout results from trying to deal with a heavy workload, too many hours, or a great number of responsibilities. It’s a cumulative sense of dissatisfaction, frustration, and fatigue.

On the other hand, compassion fatigue is the psychological, emotional, and physical impact of helping others through their own experiences of stress and trauma. You want to be there for them, but you are overwhelmed by your exposure to their trauma and negative emotions. 

In compassion fatigue, there is a tendency to use up your compassion skills and reserves until you can no longer provide. It is a secondary stress reaction or a form of vicarious trauma, where you take on the traumatic burdens of others. This may lead to a decrease in the ability to empathize toward others. 

Both burnout and compassion fatigue may be worsened by a stressful workplace or environment, the lack of resources, and working excessive hours. Both are processes that take time to develop -- they build up slowly to the point where you find it difficult to cope. However, there are also instances where compassion fatigue may develop abruptly or without much warning.

While compassion fatigue may be experienced in all types of occupations, those at higher risk for it are those in the helping professions, such as:

• Nurses
• Doctors
• Healthcare workers
• Legal professionals
• Law enforcement personnel
• Social workers
• Service providers. 

But it’s not only your job or working conditions that may put you at risk for compassion fatigue, it’s your life conditions as well. You may also be caring for people at home – young children, elderly or sick adults. If you are in this situation, all the more you should consider the ways to prevent compassion fatigue. 

What are the Signs of Compassion Fatigue?

Are you experiencing any of these warning signs? Step back, assess yourself, and decide whether you need to take a break or get help. Untreated, these symptoms could affect your physical and mental health.

• Physical exhaustion and symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, weight loss, sleep and appetite disturbances (overeating, lack of appetite, insomnia, excessive sleeping)
• Mental exhaustion, mood swings, depression, addiction
• Feelings of anger, irritability, anxiety
• Feelings of sadness, numbness, detachment, guilt
• Feelings of helplessness, powerlessness, hopelessness
• Decreased empathy or sympathy toward others
• Decreased energy 
• Decreased pleasure in your usual activities
• Changes in your worldview or spirituality
• Reluctance to take care of others 
• Thinking too much about your cases 
• Rehashing how you could have handled certain cases
• Blaming yourself as not having done enough to help

Coping with Compassion Fatigue

Knowing and understanding the warning signs of compassion fatigue can help you prevent and overcome it if it arises. Here are some ways to deal with it.

Be mindful and self-aware. 

Cultivate a high level of awareness within yourself about your thoughts and feelings. If you suspect you are suffering from compassion fatigue, step back and take a self-assessment. Ranking your compassion fatigue on a scale of 1-10 may help you understand your situation and take the appropriate steps.

Practice self-care.

Sometimes those who are constantly taking care of others neglect to care for themselves. Mindfully and regularly practicing self-care makes you less vulnerable to stress. Find out what makes you feel better about yourself and include that in your self-care regimen. 

It should also include eating a nutritious diet, sleeping a sufficient number of hours, getting regular exercise, drinking enough water, and balancing your work and leisure activities. Also consider spending more time with loved ones and going on regular vacations.

Set emotional boundaries.

We often give too much of ourselves to others. To help prevent compassion fatigue, it’s important to set emotional boundaries and limits as to what we can and shouldn’t do.  This means still maintaining a connection to others while being mindful that you are an individual with your own needs. Be empathetic and supportive of others, but avoid becoming overly involved and taking on their pain as your own. 

Build positive coping strategies.

It won’t help your well-being if you destress by using alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. Instead, adopt positive means to boost your mood, such as spending time with loved ones, meditating, or reading a book. You can also watch a comedy, write in your journal, or take a long, hot bath. Sometimes something as simple as going offline and taking a walk can do wonders to reduce stress.  

Develop healthy friendships outside of work.

Having a circle of friends that do not work with you gives you a much-needed break from ‘talking shop.’ They also provide a different perspective and lead you to new things.

Engage in activities that soothe and recharge you.

Having outside hobbies or pastimes not related to work can help you take a step back from stressful situations. Find pleasure in activities that relax and replenish you, whether it be sports, crafts, games, spa days, massage therapy, whatever it may be. The point is to make time for activities that decrease your stress and improve your satisfaction with life.

Get professional help.

If you are overwhelmed by compassion fatigue, do reach out to professionals such as a psychiatrist or a doctor who can treat your physical and psychological symptoms of trauma. Allow yourself to receive help just as you give it to others. Take time to nurture yourself.

Create workplace coping strategies.

Does your employer have programs for helping employees deal with compassion fatigue? If not, consider suggesting establishing one. Such a program can be as simple as creating a community of like-minded others. Meet regularly as a group to share experiences and ways to prevent and cope with compassion fatigue. You can also set up forums or chat groups for discussion. 

Also read: Where Does Work-Life Balance Rank in Values That Matter to Filipinos?

Beat Compassion Fatigue!

Compassion fatigue is a very real stressor that can negatively impact your work and life experiences. Knowing how to prevent and deal with it can help you become more productive, happy, and achieve a better work-life balance. Jobstreet helps you by giving advice for improving office wellness and wellbeing. 

And if you find it’s time to #SEEKBetter opportunities for the sake of your well-being then visit JobStreet or download the JobStreet app on Google Play or the App Store to search for jobs.

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