Dealing with “Compassion Fatigue”: Self-Care Builds Your Resilience!
Balanced and abundant living is what this website is all about. We want our lives to be as balanced and healthy as possible on what I’ve continuously referred to as the “five pillars of a balanced, abundant life”: being balanced spiritually, physically, socially, financially, and emotionally.
“Compassion Fatigue” symptoms tend to crop up not only in family caregivers but also in ANYONE who has empathy towards others and tends to give too much of themselves without having proper boundaries in place.
So, what exactly is “Compassion Fatigue”?
According to a definition by the website, WebMD, “compassion fatigue” is:
…a term that describes the physical, emotional, and psychological impact of helping others — often through experiences of stress or trauma. Compassion fatigue is often mistaken for burnout, which is a cumulative sense of fatigue or dissatisfaction.
While burnout is one part of this form of fatigue, the term compassion fatigue encompasses a more specific experience, which may be brought about by a stressful workplace or environment, lack of resources, or excessive hours.
This form of fatigue is sometimes called a secondary stress reaction, secondhand shock, secondary traumatic stress, or vicarious trauma — largely because of compassion fatigue’s link to careers and positions that may regularly place you in stressful situations.
Below are but a few of the symptoms of “Balance Fatigue”:
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Feeling stressed out
- Anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed, alone in your struggles, sadness
- Addictions
- Depression
- Reoccurring thoughts of a traumatic event or knowledge of another’s pain or trauma
- Not wanting to socialize with others
- Poor sleep patterns and recurring nightmares
- Neglecting self-care
- Being overly angry
- Loss or reduction in making rational decisions
Chronic physical and emotional exhaustion are often warning signs. There are physical symptoms like headaches, weight loss or gain, problems in personal relationships, and poor work-life balance. Compassion fatigue holistically affects the whole person!
So, what can I do to help or stop my compassion fatigue?
1.Contact your doctor/primary care physician: They should certainly be made aware of your overall well-being. They can run various tests, and possibly treat your physical symptoms with the correct type and dosage of medications. In addition, they will be able to refer you to other specialists, like a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a therapist that can further help to alleviate your fatigue.
2. Self-Care: If you’ve read some of my other blog posts, then you know the overall importance of proper self-care (which is NOT being selfish!).
Here are some important self-care tips not only to help alleviate compassion fatigue, but also to experience a balanced, abundant life no matter what you’re experiencing in your life:
- Exercise! Walking, cycling, hiking, running, swimming – no matter what “flavor” of getting active you choose, MOVE! Emotionally, exercise also helps you de-stress and relax.
- Stay Hydrated! Drink plenty of water!! Also, I drink Gatorade (I like the zero sugar variety) while cycling. Avoid sugar-filled drinks like sodas.
- Get Enough Sleep! Seven to eight hours per night is ideal. Try to go to sleep the same time each night. Avoid eating after 7pm. Try to make your bedroom as dark as possible. Turn off your electronic devices!
- Eat Healthy! Avoid junk food, foods high in saturated fats, and sugary foods and drinks (yes; I know it’s hard, so limit your intake as much as possible!). Eat more fruits, vegetables, baked or air-fried meats, nuts, and beans.
- Use Doctor-Recommended Medication! As mentioned before, self-medicating to cope with compassion fatigue can potentially become addictive, and dangerous to your overall health. And last, but not least…
- Pamper Yourself! Again folks; it’s not selfish! It’s necessary! Get a massage. Get a mani/pedi. Relax in your favorite chair and take a nap. Go on a “mini” vacation – one night away in a hotel or at a friend’s house, at least. Take time out on a regular basis to spend time with loved ones or working on your favorite hobby. Order a meal in, or go out. You get the picture!
“Compassion Fatigue” can be avoided!
With the right knowledge and tools at your disposal, you can weather the “compassion fatigue” dilemma with flying colors – and with a more balanced and abundant life! By nurturing your overall well-being, you’ll be able to help others in a healthier way!
“The Family Caregiver Respite Care Toolkit”
“Respite care” is a service providing a temporary break – whether planned or emergency – from the responsibilities of being a family caregiver and for the person who is the recipient of your care. As a Certified Senior Advisor®, I felt compelled to create a toolkit about respite care.
The Family Caregiver Respite Care Toolkit gives you practical tools to be less stressed, more healthy, self-caring (without guilt!), and empowered to become a more balanced and abundant family caregiver.
Use my product as a guide for planning your well-deserved time of re-grouping, relaxing, reflecting, and looking after “YOU.” Of course, your loved one will benefit from respite care as well!
