Strange times bring with them new challenges and a new vocabulary. Years ago we were exposed to phrases like grassroots level and transformation and we soon incorporated these words into our private dictionaries.
Who would have thought that terms like lockdown, sanitising and social distancing would become part of our daily conversation, regardless of age or social status?
Compassion fatigue has become one of the latest buzzwords, referring to the overwhelming demand on people’s emotional capacity. All of a sudden YouTube and TED talks overflow with presentations on empathy, shame, and vulnerability – and compassion fatigue often referred to as “the cost of caring” for others.
Google lists the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue as:
- exhaustion, absence of energy, feeling constantly mentally and physically tired;
- apathy, sadness, no longer finding pleasure in ordinary activities;
- questioning the meaning and purpose of life;
- depression and anxiety;
- difficulty in concentrating and functioning.
See yourself in any of the above?
Compassion fatigue is defined as stress resulting from exposure to a traumatized individual. a state of physical and mental exhaustion caused by a depleted ability to cope with one’s everyday environment. It is common amongst care-givers and health workers but is also present where people have to care for family members with so-called co-morbidities and therefore at a higher risk of contracting the Covid virus.
Some call it a form of secondary traumatic stress, as the stress occurs as a result of helping or wanting to help those who are in need.
An interesting finding is that people with the most empathy are the most at risk. It is more curable than burnout and social scientists maintain that one could harness yourself against this condition by setting emotional boundaries, practicing healthy self-care, engaging in outside hobbies, and cultivating healthy friendships. Educating yourself and keeping a journal also helps against this condition which numbs your ability to empathise with people. And empathy, we all know, is the core of our human existence.
