INTRODUCTION:

Being compassionate is wanting to help someone else who is suffering and experiencing their sorrow¹. Compassion is defined as “sensitivity to the distress of self and others with a commitment to try to do something about it and prevent it”¹³. Though there are some significant distinctions between the notions, it is connected to other emotions like sympathy, empathy, and altruism. The ability to see things from another person's perspective and experience other people's feelings is more broadly defined as empathy. However, when empathy is combined with a desire to lend a hand, that's when compassion emerges².

The word "compassion fatigue" refers to the psychological, emotional, and physical effects of helping others, which frequently result from stressful or traumatic experiences. When caregivers are exposed to primary trauma (going through the trauma first-hand) or secondary trauma (giving care to those who are experiencing trauma), they can develop a recognizable set of negative psychological symptoms known as compassion fatigue³.

People who work in challenging, high-stress fields including emergency services, social work, and healthcare are susceptible to compassion fatigue. It is a condition of extreme physical, emotional, and mental tiredness brought on by ongoing exposure to the anguish and trauma of other people. It is important to realize that typical job stress is not the only cause of compassion fatigue. It's a distinct kind of burnout that primarily impacts people working in caring professions⁴. Compassion fatigue is a growing concern that affects individuals and organizations, requiring awareness, recognition, and action.

Understanding Compassion Fatigue:

According to Figley (1995), compassion fatigue is an acute, affective condition that causes significant levels of stress for those who provide care and in which the symptoms experienced by the caregivers (such as avoidance, hyper-arousal, numbness, and sleep difficulties) are similar to those of the initial trauma victim⁵.

A progressive state of emotional weariness is known as burnout⁵. Burnout can result from prolonged periods of excessive occupational stress. But it can also occur in other areas of life if you experience excessive stress for an extended period of time, as while managing caregiving, relationships, parenting, or financial difficulties⁶.

The term "secondary traumatic stress" refers to the stress response that caregivers have after seeing painful content related to their clients. A class of "natural and consequential behaviours and emotions resulting from knowing about a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other (or client) and the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person" is specifically defined as secondary traumatic stress by Figley⁵.

Causes and Risk Factors:

Individual risk factors:

In these kinds of circumstances, there are additional variables that may make someone more susceptible to compassion fatigue. These may consist of:

· Elevated levels of stress

· Inadequate coping mechanisms

· Insufficient social supports

· Inadequate self-care

· A terrible past⁷

· Empathy

· Selflessness

· Perfectionism.

· Organizational risk factors

· Compassion fatigue is more likely to strike someone who works in an environment where trauma is encountered frequently, like social work or emergency services⁸, inadequate support, high workload.

Signs and Symptoms:

Emotional signs:

· Numbness

· Detachment

· Irritability

· helpless, hopeless or powerless

· Feeling irritable, angry, sad

· decreased pleasure in activities

· Ruminating about the suffering of others and feeling anger towards the events or people causing the suffering

· Blaming self and having thoughts of not having done enough to help the people who are suffering⁸

· Physical signs

· Short-term psychosomatic symptoms such as migraines and headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, as well as persistent pain and fatigue, can all be attributed to compassion fatigue.

· High levels of cortisol in the blood can make people more prone to disease.

· Compassion fatigue has the potential to raise the long-term risk of immunological dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular, obesity, and diabetes diseases⁹.

Behavioural signs:

· Self-isolation and withdrawal

· Poor coping such as self-medicating and increase in substance use

· Relationship conflict

· Feeling less efficient or productive at work

· Reduced pleasure in activities we used to enjoy and reduced work satisfaction⁹.

Effects of Compassion Fatigue:

Impact on individuals:

A wide range of conflicting emotions, such as impatience, intolerance, irritability, skepticism, cynicism, embitterment, and resentment, can result from compassion fatigue. These symptoms frequently result in interpersonal issues, such as issues with intimacy and getting along with people, which can cause irritation, disappointments, and detachment. Mood swings, crying, worry, illogical fears, depression, sadness, and despair are possible. In certain cases, suicide thoughts or actions may also occur. Cognitive functioning may alter in addition to changes in emotional valence. The capacity for sound judgment, clear thinking, and decision-making may deteriorate. It can get challenging to focus on tasks. There can be memory loss or amnesia. The person may have feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy, and low self-image over time.

Numerous mental health issues, such as hypochondria, dissociative disorders, mood disorders (such as anxiety and clinical depression), addictions (such as alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and gambling), eating disorders, and personality disorders can be brought on by compassion fatigue⁸.

Impact on organizations:

The effects of compassion fatigue go beyond personal wellbeing. It significantly affects organizational performance as well. Employee engagement and productivity suffer when they suffer from compassion fatigue. This may result in greater absenteeism, greater rates of employee turnover, and lower-quality output. Compassion fatigue has a detrimental impact on employees' general morale and motivation inside an organization.

Additionally, compassion fatigue may have repercussions for an organization's general culture. This may result in an unhealthy workplace where pessimism and hostility are rampant. Collaboration, communication, and teamwork might be hampered in such an atmosphere, which can further impair the organization's capacity to meet its objectives and deliver high-quality assistance to the intended recipients.

Studies reveal that organizations that neglect to tackle compassion fatigue may also face a decline in team cohesiveness and cooperation. In the end, this may make it more difficult for the organization to fulfil its objective and possibly damage its reputation⁴.

Prevention and Mitigation Strategies:

Self-care practices:

· Engage in regular exercise. Walking for just 30 minutes a day can have a positive impact on your health and happiness. Exercise counts in little increments, so don't give up if you can't work out for 30 minutes at a time.

· Maintain hydration and eat regular, healthful meals. Your energy and concentration levels can be sustained throughout the day with a healthy diet and lots of water. Take note of how much alcohol and caffeine you consume and how it affects your mood and general wellbeing. For some people, consuming less alcohol and caffeine can be beneficial.

· Give getting enough sleep a high priority. Maintain a routine and make sure you're receiving adequate rest. It might be difficult to fall asleep when exposed to blue light from gadgets and screens, so try to limit your exposure to blue light before bedtime.

· Try engaging in a soothing hobby. Look into applications or programs that promote wellness or relaxation; these may include breathing techniques, muscle relaxation, or meditation. Plan regular times for these and other stress-relieving hobbies, reading, spending time in nature, and listening to music that you enjoy.

· Establish priorities and goals. Choose what needs to be done right away and what can wait. If you start to feel like you're taking on too much, learn how to say "no" to new assignments. At the end of the day, try to be grateful for what you have accomplished.

· Show appreciation for what you have. Every day, remind yourself of your blessings. Give details. Put them in writing or play them back to yourself.

· Focus on optimism. Recognize and confront your unfavourable and detrimental beliefs.

· Maintain contact. Speak with loved ones or friends who can offer both practical and emotional support¹⁰.

Organizational support:

· Ensure manageable workloads to prevent burnout and reduce the risk of compassion fatigue.

· Provide training and resources to help employees manage the emotional demands of their job, including stress management, boundary-setting, and communication skills.

· Supervisors should regularly check in with employees, listen to their concerns, and offer support and guidance¹¹.

CONCLUSION:

The issue of compassion fatigue poses a serious threat to the health and care-giving abilities of rehabilitation specialists. It is characterized by diminished personal accomplishment, depersonalization, and emotional weariness. Preventive and management tactics encompass recognizing one's own pressures, modifying work-life equilibrium, enlisting assistance, and executing organizational solutions. In order to avoid depersonalization and preserve the provider-patient relationship, early detection and intervention are essential. In order to mitigate compassion fatigue¹², organizations must demonstrate leadership and a commitment to addressing workplace pressures.

REFERENCE:

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12. Ammu Rajan, Jisha Varghese, Shaini Krishnankutty, Riya Philip, Reni C.S. Relationship of Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout among Nurses. Int. J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2019; 7(1):87-91.

13. Bhartendra Sharma, Triza Jiwan. Self-compassion: Basis of Quality Nursing Care. Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 5(2): April-June 2015; Page 279-282. doi: 10.5958/2349-2996.2015.00055.5

Received on 09.10.2024 Revised on 02.12.2024

Accepted on 11.01.2025 Published on 24.02.2025

Available online from March 17, 2025

Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2025;15(1):35-38.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2996.2025.00008

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