Topic Tuesday // Exploring Compassion Fatigue // Tues 26 Feb, 7pm AEDT

[outlander]

Has anyone here experienced this reduction in empathy and compassion when supporting the person you care for? I’m also wondering how noticing this impacts on you?

yes definently. I have a carer title but like Cheerbear and im sure many many more i am also a daughter, granddaughter and sister. i have noticed more and more that despite my empathetic and compassionated nature im finding myself just getting irritated or just to tired to help everyone all the time. Ive withdrawn alot from everyone, become more irritable, fatigued, and just not wanting to help anyone or getting bothered when people are constantly asking for help.

its also affecting how i take care of myself- like i just cant be bothered putting in effort to take care of myself. 

[Adge]

What helped you to "regain your passion & energy" @Former-Member ?

I'm hoping or assuming that somehow you did...

Adge

[CheerBear]

That reduction in compassion is something I've recently noticed happening for me especially around a friend of mine who has MH issues @Former-Member. Sometimes when he is struggling and is talking about the same things I've heard a lot of times, it's like an off switch happens for me and I feel nothing inside. I kind of tune out unintentionally.

I have found it hard to have that feeling as I think I'm usually a pretty supportive and empathic friend and I can feel kind of guilty that I'm not able to be present with him in the way it seems he'd like me to be/he needs. Sometimes I feel this kind of off switch happening around my kids too, especially when all of them need me at the same time. Again that one leads me to feeling pretty guilty also.

Tricky stuff!

[outlander]

@Faith-and-Hope 

i  would probably say yes, compassion fatigue sounds very similar to carers burnout which usually hve those psychosomatic symptoms as well like fatigue, more anxiety etc. 

do you find thats affecting you this way?

[Adge]

Yes, I'm sorry to say....

No energy left to care for myself.

Adge

[CheerBear]

Totally agree @Adge and @outlander - little left in the tank for looking after me sometimes.

[Live50]

I found caring for son with mental health issues, I became drained by the swings, and found it difficult to be emphatic. With a break, I would refresh and then feel as though things were not that bad, and beat myself up over not being stronger to copy with the situation

[Live50]

CheerBear, I hear you, i have suffered the same feelings. Now I realise, it means I should have taken some me time sooner or asked for help.

[Former-Member]

@Volcanogirl it sounds like you have been doing alot in your caring role and I can hear signs of CF coming through in your post. That feeling of being "on duty" and the overwhelm and sometimes dread and resentment that can come with being in that role is a really common experience but one that is often attached to feelings of guilt or shame. 

It sounds like you were able to come up with ways of making it quicker for you both but that the impact has ha a lasting effect.

[Former-Member]

Before we try to understand how compassion fatigue is different from burnout, let’s first talk about what burnout is, so we are all on the same page.

Burnout is the state of feeling emotionally and physically exhausted as a result of being exposed to excessive and prolonged periods of stress. Does this sound familiar? No wonder why it’s easy to get confused between CF and burnout!

As burnout is a result of prolonged stress, it is not only in a caring role that you can feel burnt out. Feeling fear or uncertainty, loss of economic security or position, and feeling a decrease in control or circumstances can lead to burnout. Let’s not also forget a lack of work-life balance!

It is really clear from the definition above that there are some similarities between both CF and burnout. The most obvious one is feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. Another common similarity is feeling a sense of guilt or shame about having a decreased ability to be empathic, compassionate or continue with the tasks in our caring role as we once did. Feeling unable to interact with our families and friends is also common to both experiences either due to feeling disconnected from others or as a result of exhaustion.

Is the experience of burnout sounding familiar to anyone?