Compassion fatigue
Warning signs - cognition
- Intrusive thoughts and/or images of consumers’ traumatic situations
- Developing a worldview in terms of victims and perpetrators
- Decreased sense of safety
- Increased suspicion of others
- Decreased trust in others
- Diminished feelings of personal control and freedom
- Feelings of therapeutic impotence/helplessness
- Loss of hope
- Guilt
- Victim-blaming
- Diminished sense of purpose, accomplishment, or enjoyment of work
- Difficulties with attention and concentration
- Increased forgetfulness
Warning signs – psychological / emotional warning signs
- Increased anger and irritability
- Lower frustration tolerance
- Depression
- Decreased ability to feel joy
- Increased feelings of anxiety
- Feelings of horror or dread
- Inability to maintain balance between empathy and objectivity
- Feeling unappreciated, alienated, and isolated
- Emotional withdrawal from colleagues, friends, and family
- Over-identification with person you’re supporting
Warning signs – Physical
- Chronic fatigue
- Increased somatic complaints (headache, stomach aches, back pain, etc.)
- Increased muscle tension
- Physiological arousal in the form of palpitations and hypervigilance
- Warning signs – behavioural
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia or oversleeping)
- Workaholism
- Increase in addictive behaviors such as compulsive eating or substance abuse
- Impairment in day-to-day functioning including missed or cancelled appointments
- Increased isolation
- Chronic lateness
- Increased absenteeism from work
Compassion fatigue is different to burn out, but can have related warning signs. However, the main differences are compassion fatigue can happen quickly and is mostly focused on a person or one element of your life (ie: a nurse may still be able to show compassion and support for a family member or friend, but not patients or collegues). While it's quick to come, it can also be quick to go, especially when focusing on self-care.
While burn out is a slow burn (see what I did there?) It often is related to a number of things in your life building up and spilling over, so it's gradual. It often hits us harder and can be longer to recover from.
