Are You Suffering from Compassion Fatigue?
Caregiver in Falls Church VA
When you spend a significant amount of time taking care of other people, you can get worn out. Most of the time you’re just having an off day or an off moment. A good night’s sleep is usually 
enough to get you back on your feet. If those bad days are happening more frequently, though, it’s possible that what you’re dealing with is actually compassion fatigue.
What Is Compassion Fatigue?
Compassion fatigue can also be called secondary traumatic stress and it shows up in situations in which a person is subjected to the prolonged suffering of another person for a period of time. As time goes on, the person caring for the person who is suffering becomes more and more immune to the suffering. This doesn’t happen because the caregiver no longer cares, instead it happens because the caregiver just becomes gradually more overwhelmed with the suffering that they really can’t fix for their loved one.
Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Compassion fatigue is a form of stress, and as such the symptoms are sometimes mistaken as just being “stressed out.” While this description isn’t necessarily wrong, there’s more to it than that. In the beginning, caregivers suffering from compassion fatigue might just feel overwhelmed but they can also develop further symptoms. Some to watch out for include:
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Dissociation
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Lack of interest in normal activities
Getting Over Compassion Fatigue
Left to its own devices, compassion fatigue doesn’t just go away. It can become far worse, resulting in poor health, isolation from the people that you love, and even engaging in dangerous personal behaviors. The first step in sending compassion fatigue packing is to recognize that it’s happening. From there you can look to your situation and carefully take note of what you need to change in order to relieve your symptoms. One of the biggest changes that many caregivers need to make is to take more frequent breaks. Having reliable home care providers is just one solution that can make an immediate difference. Stepping away for even an hour or two is priceless.
Keeping Compassion Fatigue at Bay
Once you find some solutions that work for you, you have to keep up with them. Compassion fatigue is something that can strike multiple times during your time as a family caregiver. You need to make your own health and well-being a priority so that you can continue to be an effective caregiver. When you’re trying to get your elderly loved one to eat properly and to get enough sleep, remember that those lessons extend to yourself as well. If you don’t take care of yourself, you cannot take care of those that you love.
Stay aware of how you’re feeling and take steps right away if you feel that you’re dealing with compassion fatigue.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Falls Church, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. 703-273-8818
Source
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somatic-psychology/201207/compassion-fatigue
Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.
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