Addressing Compassion Fatigue & Burnout in Helping Professions

Part 1 of 3

Welcome to the beginning of our 3-part blog series on Compassion Fatigue and Burnout to help helping professionals recognise the signs and take better care of themselves. We hope this series will encourage open, honest and real conversations about the reality and concerns of being a helping professional and highlight prevention and support strategies to utilise.

• In this first part, we’ll dive into what compassion fatigue is and what causes it. We’ll also draw distinctions between compassion fatigue and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Part 2 will focus on the challenges faced by helping professionals and the symptoms of burnout and compassion fatigue.
• In Part 3, we’ll explore strategies to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue and provide support strategies for those already experiencing them.

Alarmingly, we’ve been noticing a huge increase in burnout and compassion fatigue across the helping professions, particularly since services and practitioners needed to pivot sharply due to Covid and are still playing catch-up.

With greater demand than there is support services, it’s natural for helping professionals to experience an internal struggle between wanting to help, but only having so much time and ability to do so consistently. They expend so much energy, care, and concern for others that it invariably leads to neglect of themselves. It becomes harder and harder to step back for mental and physical breaks away from work, computer screens, and other people’s pain and problems – all whilst trying to manage their own ‘stuff’.

Compassion fatigue is an ever-growing concern within the helping professions, and it’s a subject that often goes unspoken but deserves attention. My motivation stems from personal experience, as I, like many others, have faced (and am still navigating) the challenges it presents. As I’ve noticed these conversations increasing for those who also feel overburdened and overworked, I thought it was time to shine a light on it for greater awareness.

What is Compassion Fatigue?

Compassion fatigue can develop when individuals are repeatedly exposed to the suffering of others, ultimately leading to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and a notable decrease in their ability to empathise effectively. By shining a light on this issue, we can better understand, prevent, and overcome it, ensuring the health and wellbeing of those dedicated to helping others.

Compassion fatigue is also known as secondary traumatic stress. It is a condition that can develop in individuals who work in helping professions, such as healthcare, social work, and counselling. These professionals are often exposed to the pain and suffering of others, which can take an emotional toll.

The symptoms of compassion fatigue can vary from person to person, but they often include:

• Emotional exhaustion
• Detachment
• Numbness
• Reduced empathy
• Difficulty sleeping
• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Changes in appetite
• Difficulty concentrating

What Causes Compassion Fatigue?

There are a number of factors that can contribute to compassion fatigue, including:

• Heavy workloads and stress: The demanding nature of these professions, coupled with high workloads and the pressure to meet the needs of those they serve, can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion.
• Neglect of self-care: Many helping professionals prioritise the wellbeing of others to the detriment of their own self-care. This neglect can exacerbate the risk of compassion fatigue.
• Repeated exposure to trauma: Helping professionals who work with people who have experienced trauma are at an increased risk of developing compassion fatigue.

Difference between Compassion Fatigue and PTSD

Compassion fatigue and PTSD are often confused, but they are two distinct conditions.

Compassion fatigue is caused by prolonged exposure to the suffering of others. It is primarily a problem for helping professionals. PTSD is caused by a direct personal trauma. It can affect anyone, not just helping professionals.

The symptoms of compassion fatigue and PTSD can overlap, but there are key differences. For example, people with compassion fatigue are more likely to experience emotional exhaustion and detachment, while people with PTSD are more likely to experience flashbacks, nightmares, and heightened anxiety.

Compassion fatigue is a serious problem that can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of helping professionals. By understanding the causes of compassion fatigue and taking steps to prevent it, helping professionals can protect their own health while continuing to provide effective care to those they serve.

As a helping professional, the first step now is to acknowledge if you’ve spent more than your fair share absorbing emotional energy, and listening so much to the suffering of others that it has begun to impact you in negative ways.

Read Parts 2 and 3 below:

• Read Blog 1 – Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in Helping Professions
• Read Blog 3 – Strategies for Overcoming Compassion Fatigue and Burnout