Are you an empath and sometimes you feel drained and overwhelmed? There is a thing called empath compassion fatigue which means that when you pick up the emotions and energy of other people, you don’t have the unlimited resources to keep everyone healthy. This can cause you to feel tired and to feel that you no longer are able to keep up with the emotions around you. You might feel that you have less compassion or that you are getting angry or frustrated.
Secondary Traumatization is the same as compassion fatigue and this can happen hen you work with people that have trauma. Being exposed to the trauma can add up and as you see all of the pain that other people are going through it can build up on you and it can cause you to stop being kind and loving. It will cause you to no longer be motivated to help others.
Who Gets Compassion Fatigue?
There are people all over the world that are susceptible to compassion fatigue, and these are normally people that are empaths or those that work with caregiving and healthcare. Some of the ones that get this the most include:
• Doctors.
• Therapists.
• Counselors.
• Psychologists.
• Nurses.
• Emergency Medical Technicians.
• Shelter workers.
• Vets.
• Teachers.
• Psychiatrists.
People that have careers where they are dealing with trauma deal the same as those that are empaths. These people deal with trauma, and this can lead to compassion fatigue.
Other Caregivers
Empaths are people that want to help other people that are in need, and they are usually drawn to people that are hurting. Empaths can feel the pain and emotions that the person has and as they share things with you that are sad or hurtful, these are people that are depressed, sick or addictive behaviors.
The empath will then give all of their compassion to the person that is suffering, and this opens their heart to the pain that others are feeling. As an empath, they allow the pain that others are facing to go into their own life and mind.
When you are at the bottom of the barrel and there is nothing else left that you can offer someone that is suffering, you might get compassion fatigue.
Signs of Compassion Fatigue
Here are some signs of compassion fatigue:
- You become numb to others pain.
- You are exhausted in your mind and emotions.
- You are overly sensitive to emotional movies, books, and other things.
- You have a problem with intimacy.
- You become isolated.
- You begin to feel and see trauma.
- You don’t want to go to work any longer and you get burnt out at your job.
Can You Heal from Compassion Fatigue?
Compassion fatigue is something that makes you feel overwhelmed and tired. But there are ways that you can heal from this, and you can be motivated to have compassion for others again.
How to Stop Compassion Fatigue
Here are some of the best ways to stop compassion fatigue:
Be Aware
It is important to know that compassion fatigue is a real thing. You aren’t weak or someone that is crazy but as an empath, you can see that the emotions and trauma of others affect you. You need to make sure that you are protecting yourself.
If you are aware that there are strong feelings in a room, you can take control of your thoughts and make sure that you don’t hold on to these feelings. People with different personality types such as INFJ personalities are ones that are usually highly empathic, and they are often drawn to helping careers which can leave them dealing a lot with compassion fatigue.
Learn to pay attention to what you are feeling and when things start to get bad, handle them right away.
Caring for Yourself
Empaths often forget that they need self-care because they are always taking care of other people. You need to make sure that you are not neglecting what you need. Take time to have alone time, to shower, take a bath, go walking in nature or being around people that bring you joy.
Be compassionate with yourself because you cannot pour into others if you have nothing left to give. Self-care means that you can say no when you need to, and you can say yes when it is time to do something that brings you joy.
You have to take time to better yourself so that you can be compassionate with those that need you to. Take a few minutes each day to recharge and to keep your compassion strong.
Therapy
Sometimes if you are in a caregiver job, you might need to talk to someone yourself. Even if you are a therapist, you might need to talk to another therapist. People that heal others and help others need to have help sometimes too.
If you are dealing with compassion fatigue, then you need to make sure that you talk to someone that is familiar with this. Be compassionate to yourself and let your compassion come back.
You need to have good people in your life that you can talk to and that you can be around when you need to have help in your life. Don’t be alone in this world.
Final Thoughts
Compassion fatigue is a real thing, and you need to make sure that you are aware of the emotions around you, that you are caring for yourself and that you take time to get the healing that you need. Allow the brokenness inside of you to be fixed so that you can keep sharing love with those around you.
I’m not entirely convinced that ‘compassion fatigue’ is a real thing. It feels like a trendy term for people just being bad at handling stress. Shouldn’t professionals in caregiving be trained to deal with emotional weight?
@Skeptic101, trust me, it’s very real. As someone who works with trauma victims daily, compassion fatigue isn’t about ‘bad at handling stress’—it’s about emotional overload from constant exposure to others’ suffering.
@Skeptic101 I think you’re overlooking how empathy works psychologically. Even the most trained professionals aren’t immune to cumulative emotional exhaustion.
As someone who’s an INFJ (and yes, highly empathic), this article really resonates with me. It’s validating to know there are strategies for dealing with the overwhelm that comes from feeling so deeply all the time.
*Rolls eyes* So now we need therapy because we feel too much? Whatever happened to toughening up? Some people just need thicker skin rather than these endless self-care mantras.
This is a well-written article that sheds light on an issue many people overlook. I appreciate how it addresses compassion fatigue for those in caregiving roles, particularly empaths. It’s crucial to raise awareness about this, as burnout can have serious consequences.
@ $erotonin$unshine Taking care of yourself IS part of helping others effectively long-term—you can’t pour from an empty cup!
*Compassion fatigue* sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, but I guess it makes sense when you consider the long-term effects of constantly dealing with others’ emotions and trauma. It’s sort of like an emotional virus—hard to see but easy to catch.
Actually, there’s quite a bit of empirical research on compassion fatigue in healthcare workers and emergency responders—it’s recognized by both psychological and medical communities as a real phenomenon with significant consequences on mental health.
@ $erotonin$unshine There’s a balance though! Self-care doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility; it ensures we have the energy to keep caring for others without burning out.