When we see a sick or vulnerable person, the first reaction we always have is to try to help them in every possible way. Beyond how complex this may be, being present and offering possibilities to alleviate anguish can be something extremely gratifying, however, it can happen to us that affects us more than necessary. Developing high degrees of empathy is not always beneficial, since we invest all our energy in others and we are exhausted.
In the area of mental health, professionals often experience this compassion fatigue that affects quality of life. Therefore, in this Psychology-Online article, we will explain what is compassion fatigue, symptoms and how to prevent it.
Compassion fatigue is a anxiety disorder which is characterized by the presence of a high level of stress caused by contact with people who suffer emotionally. Although this can occur in any situation of daily life, it is more frequent in those professions that aim to provide emotional support. For this reason, mental health professionals are the ones who are most affected by this clinical picture.
To better understand what compassion fatigue is, it is necessary to know when it appears. This condition manifests itself due to tiredness experiencedfeel sorry for one or more people for an extended period of time.
compassion fatigue manifests itself in many ways, both physical and psychological. In this section, we will talk about the most frequent symptoms of compassion fatigue:
- Fear.
- Catastrophic thoughts about a particular topic.
- Lack of physical and mental energy.
- Feeling unwell.
- Anxiety.
- Stress. Discover the types of stress and its symptoms in this article.
- Impossibility of generating an optimal distance with another person.
- Nervous tension.
- Alert status.
- excessive sweating
- Sleep disturbances.
Beyond the description just made, it is important to consider that the presence of any of these symptoms in isolation does not necessarily represent a picture of compassion fatigue. He diagnosis should be made by a professional of mental health since it will be in charge of evaluating the particular characteristics of each patient.
As can be anticipated, compassion fatigue causes some Adverse effects that must be taken into account when treating it. Next, we will talk about the consequences of compassion fatigue:
- Decreased satisfaction in various areas of daily life.
- Constant worries.
- Irritability.
- Difficulty sustaining attention.
- Insomnia.
- insecurities.
Despite the difficulties of compassion fatigue, there are factors that can reduce the negative effects it causes. Here's how to prevent compassion fatigue:
- psychological therapy: the main tool to counter the incidence of compassion fatigue is to go to a mental health professional and start a psychological treatment. In this space, we proceed to reflect on personal qualities and establish goals to improve the quality of life. Among the most important therapies are cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoanalysis. Regarding the first, it can be mentioned that it addresses the thoughts, emotions and behaviors that prevent creating an optimal and necessary distance from the pain of others. On the other hand, psychoanalysis addresses situations from the past that influence attitudes that foster compassion fatigue.
- Construction of social ties: a favorable environment decreases compassion fatigue. Within the established social group, it is possible to reduce levels of stress caused by work, in which one is exposed to the suffering of others.
- order priorities: In global terms, caring for people in vulnerable situations causes fatigue that can sometimes be excessive. For some people, this can lead to putting others first and forgetting about themselves. Reflecting on it and reassessing yourself is a fundamental aspect of preventing compassion fatigue.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is compassion fatigue, symptoms and how to prevent it, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
