Compassion Fatigue - Caring Too Much Can Hurt !!

This morning, I listened to an interesting program on BBC under their series "The Why Factor". The topic was Compassion Fatigue. It occurs when we care too much or show too much compassion for others while ignoring our own emotions or while not caring enough for our own selves, compassion fatigue can happen.

 

According to the website focusing on this psychological condition, compassion fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animal in distress. 

It may sound counter-intuitive that the people who show continued level of compassion, love and care for those in pain, distress or trouble can harm themselves by the same compassion. However, time and again when we have to provide continued care and love to people in distress, we can get tired or exasperated. Especially when continued care or help cannot make major difference in the condition or suffering of the person being cared, the care givers may experience emotional void and drain-out. In such condition, they feel out of stock for any further show of compassion and empathy towards those in distress. 

When care givers have to show continued care and compassion without getting any affection or care in return, probably they cannot emotionally recharge and experience emotional drain. Persons suffering from such condition not only are unable to provide same level of care, it may also lead to indifference and negligence. 

While compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress disorder usually occurs due to continued exposure to distress and having to sustain persistent outbound compassion without anything in return, it can also be accentuated by substance abuse. 

It seems that those great people who dedicate their lives day in and day out to care for others in extreme distress, pain or suffering have to provide a little care to their own selves. They, the care givers, should also have mechanism to emotionally recharge themselves, understand their own conditions, communicate with each other and share information about experiences. After all, such fatigue seems to be caused by emotional void and that void can be filled to a large extent by awareness, sharing, communicating and care directed at oneself. 

02 October 2018