The horrible affliction affecting the best of us.
Picture this: as an animal lover, you volunteer at a greyhound rescue. You receive a call and the voice on the other end of the phone tells you, “I have five greyhounds we no longer want; you take them, or we’ll get rid of them”.
Heart pounding, pulse racing, you instinctively tell the person you will take the dogs, picturing their innocent faces and wide eyes that are unaware your response is the difference between being a pet or getting a bullet to the head. Your panic runs deep, because you just took in five last week and three the week before and two more the week before that and there is nowhere to put them; the foster homes are full, the kennels are full, and there won’t ever be enough people adopting the dogs to keep up with the breeding.
This has been your experience for months or even years and you find yourself feeling mentally and physically exhausted. You have become short tempered and abrupt with the other volunteers, you have constant headaches, and even when you go home, you can’t get the images of the emaciated, broken, and terrified dogs you have seen come through the rescue out of your head.
Sound like a nightmare? This is the reality for volunteers at greyhound rescues all over the nation. And the dogs in the industry aren’t the only ones who are suffering. Compassion is a core value of caregivers, and those who care the most are the ones who are most deeply afflicted. The stress of the endless feeling of sadness, loss, and trauma can accumulate into a crippling condition termed compassion fatigue.
Who gets compassion fatigue?
Compassion fatigue is common in nurses, psychotherapists, animal rescue volunteers, mental health workers, doctors, aged care workers, veterinarians, emergency first responders, domestic violence workers, animal shelter workers, and basically anyone who experiences prolonged exposure to suffering and trauma of others while carrying out their role.
Caregivers who empathise or identify closely with another’s grief, emotions, or suffering can be traumatised vicariously.
What are the signs of compassion fatigue?
Compassion fatigue can drain your energy leaving you with little joy for life and in the worst cases, has lead to suicide. It can present as physical complaints such as headaches or body aches, as well as psychological symptoms such as irritability and anger.
It is important to notice the signs and seek help and support if you are feeling:
- Emotionally distraught (distracted, agitated)
- A sense of withdrawal and isolation
- Detached and distant from others
- Mentally and physically exhausted
- Like a failure; that nothing you do matters
- Despair and hypersensitivity
What can you do about compassion fatigue?
The key protective strategies for dealing with or preventing compassion fatigue is to practice forgiveness and self-care, being kind to yourself and realising you are doing your best and that is good enough. Practicing self-care such as maintaining a good diet, getting regular exercise, adequate sleep and leisure time is essential to your well-being. It is not selfish or a luxury to take care of yourself; being well and strong allows you to be more effective in helping others.
Some actions you can take for dealing with the symptoms of compassion fatigue:
- Enlist support from family, friends and co-workers
- Take short breaks throughout the day to close your eyes, focus on your breath and focus on loving thoughts
- Avoid overworking
- Engage in outside hobbies
- Set emotional boundaries, recognising that you are a separate person with your own needs
- Seek therapy
Final Words
Compassion is a beautiful gift to give to others. However, all caregivers are at risk of compassion fatigue.
Understand that everyone has limits and what you do is enough. Then, give yourself the compassion you deserve. Remember: when the oxygen mask comes down, you must put on yours before you can assist others.
REFERENCES
Adimando, A. (2017). Preventing and Alleviating Compassion Fatigue Through Self-Care: An Educational Workshop for Nurses. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 0898010117721581.
Bush, N. J. (2009, January). Compassion fatigue: are you at risk?. In Oncology nursing forum. Oncology Nursing Society.
Sheppard, K. (2016). Compassion fatigue: are you at risk?. American Nurse Today, 11(1), 53-55.
Compassion fatigue in the animal care community
The Fatal Epidemic Of Animal Care Workers That No One Is Talking About
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victoria Sublette has a PhD in Behavioural Medicine (Health Psychology) from Sydney University’s Medical School. Dr Sublette’s interests lie in psychology, health, technology, saving greyhounds, fitness, animal welfare, and socialising with interesting people.
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