Topic Tuesday // Exploring Compassion Fatigue // Tues 26 Feb, 7pm AEDT

What helped you to "regain your passion & energy" @Former-Member ?

I'm hoping or assuming that somehow you did...

Adge

@Faith-and-Hope

i would probably say yes, compassion fatigue sounds very similar to carers burnout which usually hve those psychosomatic symptoms as well like fatigue, more anxiety etc.

do you find thats affecting you this way?

Yes, I'm sorry to say....

No energy left to care for myself.

Adge

@Volcanogirl it sounds like you have been doing alot in your caring role and I can hear signs of CF coming through in your post. That feeling of being "on duty" and the overwhelm and sometimes dread and resentment that can come with being in that role is a really common experience but one that is often attached to feelings of guilt or shame.

It sounds like you were able to come up with ways of making it quicker for you both but that the impact has ha a lasting effect.

Before we try to understand how compassion fatigue is different from burnout, let’s first talk about what burnout is, so we are all on the same page.

Burnout is the state of feeling emotionally and physically exhausted as a result of being exposed to excessive and prolonged periods of stress. Does this sound familiar? No wonder why it’s easy to get confused between CF and burnout!

As burnout is a result of prolonged stress, it is not only in a caring role that you can feel burnt out. Feeling fear or uncertainty, loss of economic security or position, and feeling a decrease in control or circumstances can lead to burnout. Let’s not also forget a lack of work-life balance!

It is really clear from the definition above that there are some similarities between both CF and burnout. The most obvious one is feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. Another common similarity is feeling a sense of guilt or shame about having a decreased ability to be empathic, compassionate or continue with the tasks in our caring role as we once did. Feeling unable to interact with our families and friends is also common to both experiences either due to feeling disconnected from others or as a result of exhaustion.

Is the experience of burnout sounding familiar to anyone?

@CheerBear, I find myself doing the "tuning out" thing too. I wonder if it's a self protective thing. I can't function with the full measure of the "normal" reaction to a lot of what happens and what my daughter talks about.
It also gives an odd sense of perspective that's out of step with others around us. One time I mentioned that our daughter had been in hospital the night before but it had "only" been for an asthma attack. I got an odd look from the friend I was talking to, which I didn't properly process until later.. oh yeah, that's right... for most, an asthma attack requiring ER would be a big thing.