Compassion Fatigue
Who is susceptible to Compassion Fatigue?
Are you a caregiver to others, whether it be a loved one, as part of your job or do you take care of animals?
Do you often feel tired with low energy and just seem to be burned out?
Have you lost the desire to continue with your work or feel numb as a result of taking care of another living being?
If so, you may be experiencing Compassion Fatigue or what has also been referred to as caregiver’s fatigue.
If you work in a hospital, nursing home or caretaker at home or if you are an animal caregiver – shelter workers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, rescue groups, etc, just being exposed to the pain and suffering of others sometimes leads to increased risk of stress and burnout. Because you chose to be a caregiver means you have a heightened sensitivity and compassion, which makes you more susceptible to compassion fatigue. It is not realistic to think we can deal with emotionally charged situations long term without being impacted.
The very personality type that drew you into the helping profession or makes you love animals also makes you susceptible to compassion fatigue. You may also have a strong desire to reduce pain and are compassionate, caring and sensitive to suffering. You may tend to enjoy working with others but may have trouble setting boundaries, saying “no,” and making work-life balance a priority. Your work may involve long hours with no definite “end” in sight.
What makes caregivers prone to Compassion Fatigue?
Because you are passionate about the work you do or the people or animals you care for, it is common to neglect self-care practices. You may try and work harder and harder to feel better about work, which actually increases stress. If you are a veterinary professional, it is sometimes harder dealing with the pet owner than the animal. There may be differing perspectives on goals, necessary procedures, safety risks, costs of care, abuse or neglect that get in the way of taking care of the animal’s needs while ensuring the pet’s overall well-being. If you are taking care of another human being, it is also common to give your heart and soul to their well-being while neglecting your own self-care.
Caregivers tend to be sensitive to the emotions of others and may, over time, take on those emotions as their own. In her book When Helping Hurts: Compassion Fatigue in the Veterinary Profession, Kathleen Ayl, Psy.D., mentions that one of the characteristics present in helping professionals is sensitivity to suffering. She states that, according to research conducted in 1999 by William Hutchison and a team from the University of Toronto, “mirror neurons” create an empathic connection between the observers and those who are experiencing the pain. For example, have you ever felt the suffering of another just by witnessing or hearing about the traumatic or painful event? On a positive side, have you ever experienced happiness or joy from witnessing someone’s success as if it were your own? These emotions are real, and an excess of traumatic experiences can affect caregivers if they do not take care of themselves. If these emotions are not released, compassion fatigue may result.
Is there a difference between stress, burnout and compassion fatigue?
Stress is seen as the accumulation of pressure; over time, which may result in health issues, psychological strain and possible burnout. Burnout is reduced interest in work or job, which leads to excessive feelings of being tired, apathetic and exhausted; many people leave jobs because of burnout, then feel revitalized once they get new jobs. Compassion fatigue follows a person from job to job and endures until the true cause is dealt with. If you are an animal care worker, Compassion fatigue can occur after helping both people and animals, witnessing their trauma day after day, while not paying attention to self-care. Some helping professionals may leave their chosen fields believing they are experiencing burnout, when in fact, they are experiencing compassion fatigue – evident when they experience the same exhaustion in new positions.
What I have learned over the years as a helping professional
Over the years of working in the helping profession, I learned the hard way how important it is to have a balanced lifestyle. I know it’s hard to focus on yourself first, especially when others may have more obstacles or challenges to overcome but without you keeping yourself strong and healthy, you won’t be able to do the important work to help others. By practicing basic self-care, while recognizing some of the symptoms associated with compassion fatigue, you can stay in the field longer, continuing to provide compassionate care over time.
I am a Veterinary Social Worker and completed extensive training in trauma-focused care as part of a health care organization that worked with professionals who showed signs of stress and burnout. I provided both individual and group sessions that started with identifying symptoms then determining how to make changes to improve unhealthy habits and increase quality of life.
There is Hope
If you believe you have symptoms of compassion fatigue, there is hope. You can regain your life, your happiness and keep doing the work that you are passionate about. By understanding that you have the power to make changes, you can take back your life.
How I Can Help
I work with helping professionals and animal caregivers who need help dealing with work-related stressors. They wonder whether they are burned out, or experiencing compassion fatigue. Some suffer from depression and some from anxiety. They wonder whether they should leave their fields. If attention is not paid to regular self-care, there is risk of losing these caring people to less-caring professions.
Awareness of symptoms and triggers is imperative and can often reverse or reduce the effects of compassion fatigue.
How to Contact Me for Help
If you or anyone you know suffers from compassion fatigue, please contact me at 314-899-7140 for a free 15 min phone consultation. We can discuss your individual situation and what services might fit your need. You can also email me at allisonwhite@wellnessalleycom.
In the future I plan to start group sessions and consultation groups so please let me know of your interest and please stay tuned for updates.
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I’ve always been a pet lover. I remember when I was 7, my great-uncle Benji said to my parents, “Allison needs a dog.” It was at that time, my life changed.
My phone rang one early morning; the caller was very anxious: “He may have to go back!” Elizabeth was tired, frustrated and at her wits’ end. “I’ve never given a pet back before, but I don’t know what else to do!”
As we walked around another adoption event with all the sad eyes peering through the cages, all seeming to be pleading “Please take me home with you,” I could hardly stand it anymore. If I had room for them at home, they’d all be mine.
Here is a video done after temperament testing a litter of 7 week old Golden Retriever puppies. The cicadas provided a very loud symphony in the background.
Have you ever wanted a goal so badly that you’re driven out of your comfort zone to achieve it? Have you almost reached that goal only to have the bottom drop out, forcing you to rapidly change course? It is hard to stop midstream to reevaluate and change your path, especially if you have a lot of emotion and time invested in achieving whatever needed to reach your goal. I’ve raised puppies with a specific goal in mind, whether it’s that they become therapy dogs, earn advanced obedience or agility titles or become conformation champions. Once my dogs enter my household, they rarely leave, so it’s difficult when my high hopes that they’ll fulfill certain goals don’t work out. I’ve had dogs who had to retire from performance events because of sports-related injuries, had to end conformation careers because of genetic conditions that shouldn’t be passed to offspring, and had to retire from obedience competition because they didn’t enjoy it. 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This week I faced the fear that many pet lovers experience…the realization that my beloved pet was getting older. I found myself watching every move to “catch” any indication of declining health. My 14-year old dog suddenly became ill and it wasn’t resolving quickly. He had moments of energy followed by sluggishness when I wondered whether a trip to the veterinarian was needed. In the past, many hours have been spent in emergency rooms only to be told everything was fine. Should I risk waiting this time? No, so away we went to the urgent care facility. Waiting for “the news” seemed to take hours. Diagnostics were completed then the veterinarian entered the room smiling as she announced everything appeared normal. I could have given her a hug! I had more time with him. My heart went out to everyone in the waiting room and I hoped they would also receive good news. As I nursed my dog back to health, I reflected on the short time we have with our pets. 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The human-animal connection is powerful and the joy, love, companionship, fear, loss and the whole emotional connection adds another dimension to life that’s difficult to replicate. Our pets teach us lessons if we take time to listen. Pay attention to what they’re telling you in subtle ways as you share your life with a pet who loves you the way you are. As we honor their lives, we also honor their memories. When it comes time to say goodbye, you will have received the greatest gift …the deep love and affection of a faithful companion. Those memories will stay with you forever. Allison White, ACSW, LCSW, CCDP-D This article was published in MetroPet’s June 2015 magazine.
Are you having trouble regaining interest in everyday life after losing a pet? Is taking care of pets who have chronic issues taking a toll on your own well-being? Are you taking better care of your pets and neglecting your own self-care? Has not reaching a goal in dog-related activities (earning a title, certification), having to “retire” a pet early or facing rejection in the dog show ring impacted other areas of your life? Our pets are an important part of our lives. They provide unconditional love, greet us with a wagging tail and they enjoy just being with us. Unfortunately, they leave us way too soon. The loss can be very difficult and the hole it leaves, impacts us in different ways. Besides having to handle the grief, we may also second guess the decisions we are suddenly forced to make. I’d like to help you work through the grief and celebrate your special pet’s life in a unique way that will honor the relationship you’ve had together. Both individual and group sessions available. Individual sessions: Monday-Friday (after 5:00 pm), Saturdays Allison White, ACSW, LCSW, CCDP-D www.wellnessalley.com 314-899-7140
Life’s simplest moments are experienced watching kids play. When young, we played outside until bedtime, with few cares in the world except responding to our parents’ calls. Wonders of youth were lost between childhood and the responsibilities of adulthood. Exercise helped shed pounds accumulated during college, raising families, and our careers. Health was equated with boring food, endless hours at the gym, and drinking water until we drowned. I miss the activities from childhood. So, I decided to relive some of them. I mean, exercise doesn’t have to be boring, does it? I pictured myself as a child, active with endless free time. What will I choose? Aha…..I’ll buy a bicycle! Fun, exercise, and surprise benefits…… Buying the bike was an adventure. At the bike store, I revealed my desire about riding again to a young salesman. A very “fit” young salesman. I admitted my fear of crashing and breaking bones at “my age.” Then, something unexpected happened…..instead of cracking a smile, he praised me for this brave venture to be healthier. Wow! Then, he had a game plan. In preparation for my test rides, I was measured for proper fit and safety. This was a new experience; similar to buying tennis shoes at New Balance. I jumped on the test bike, hung on for dear life, and conquered my fear of crashing. Away I went….. My childhood memory took over and my fears went along for the ride. It was like I had last ridden only yesterday. I smiled after realizing I had overcome my fear. Choosing the bike and assortment of accessories, invoked the child-like excitement as years before. I had a helmet this time, strictly for safety – no fashion statement here – and decided Creve Coeur Lake would be the perfect place for my first ride. The trails were level and the weather was perfect. My excitement mounted as I started pedaling. I admit that there was fear, but this quickly disappeared on the trail. I was surrounded by people having fun. Their energy was contagious. I experienced a sense of mindfulness and the power of being in the “here and now.” I had no watch; time was suspended like when I was a child. What a fantastic feeling. Mindfulness is focusing on the present moment as it is, without judgment or worries about the past or the future. I was focused on not crashing or falling. No cellphone, no “to do” list. Just right now. I relaxed into the ride, noticing the sailboats, the rowers, families riding together, family reunions, the smell of grilling, ducks swimming, birds and bees buzzing by. I was in nature, I was relaxed, exhilarated. I couldn’t get lost here so I focused on myself, the trail, and my surroundings. Being lost in the moment is something we should add to our lives. The energizing music in Spinning class gives me a similar feeling. How often do kids lose track of time, even when they are being called for dinner? Their activities relax them, reduce their stress, give them peace. What do we do? We get caught up in spreadsheets, “to do” lists, time. Balance is so important. Our responsibility to ourselves is to find activities that lead us to peace, to healthier lifestyles, to enjoying life, like children. Keep this mindset and… surprise…. you won’t know you’re exercising! What was your favorite childhood activity that you can incorporate into your adult life? Allison White