Compassion Fatigue: An Overview

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Compassion FatigueAn Overview

• John P. J. Dussich, Ph. D.
• Professor of Victimology
• California State University, Fresno

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Compassion Fatigue Origins

• Secondary traumatic stress was first identified
  in nurses and doctors in the 1950s, especially
  associated with those who worked with severe
  emergencies.
• Karl Jung called it psychic infection claiming
  it was contagious and insidious.
• Viktor Frankl, psychiatrist and holocaust
  survivor, metaphorically explained it with these
  words That which is to give light, must endure
  burning.

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Compassion Fatigue Terms

• Carla Joinson first coined the term compassion
  fatigue in a 1992 article for nurses. She said,
  the essential product they deliver is
  themselves.
• Patrick Morrisette called this phenomenon, The
  Pain of Helping
• referring it as the psychological injury of the
  helping professionals.

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Compassion FatigueHistory

• The post Vietnam war era of the 70s and the
  development of victim services in the 70s and 80s
  identified PTSD.
• Those who treated this problem themselves became
  victims of STSD secondary traumatic stress
  disorder. Related but not the same.
• The Modern day CF academic guru is Charles
  Figley, from FSU, but now at Tulane University,
  LA to treat Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims.
• The Modern day CF practitioner guru is Patricia
  Smith, with the Compassion Fatigue Awareness
  Project (CFAP) in Silicon Valley, California.

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Compassion FatigueProneness

• Those who place the pain and suffering of others
  before themselves.
• Those who have unresolved past issues with
  trauma.
• Those who come from a place of emptiness.
• Those who have persistent illnesses.
• Those who use helping others to fill up their own
  lives.

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Compassion FatigueDangers

• It can be a high risk mental health condition.
• It can cause you to also suffer from PTSD
  symptoms.
• It will cause you to suffer subtle stress,
  anxiety, and fatigue.
• It can render you dysfunctional in professional
  and private activities.

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Compassion FatigueEarly Warnings

• Over involvement which causes more stressful
  conditions.
• Realizing that others take liberties with your
  private time and space.
• Recognizing that you have less and less private
  time and space.
• Engaging in addictive behaviors drugs, sex,
  alcohol, etc.
• Denial that a problem exists.

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Compassion FatigueGeneral Healing

• Develop authentic sustainable health care that
  results in good coping.
• Give from a place of abundance.
• Find safe, caring, regular, and professional
  opportunities so that you are debriefed and
  counseled.
• Discuss with your supervisor and peers the need
  to be monitored.

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Compassion FatigueSpecific Healing

• Set priorities with your own time.
• Periodically unplug or disengage from care
  giving commitments.
• Decide when to turn off beepers home phones
  computers and cell phones.
• Set clear boundaries in both private and
  professional relationships.
• Find CF support groups among your peers.

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Compassion FatigueOrganizational Support

• Discuss CF issues, and your own problems, with
  supervisor.
• Get with peers and create a CF peer support
  group.
• Promote Care-giver Rights to be respected for
  the work you do adequate pay for your work
  appropriate time off to recover to receive
  organizational help.
• Helpful Website www.compassionfatigue.org
• Helpful Books Compassion Fatigue, C. Figley
  and,
• The Pain of Helping Psychological Injury of
  Helping Professionals -P. Morrissette

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Thank you for your attention