Here’s How To Deal With Compassion Fatigue

In the area of care, one issue that remains fairly discussed is compassion fatigue. It is an overwhelming, all-consuming feeling for caregivers' physical, emotional, and mental wellness. Compassion fatigue is prevalent among care and health workers continually bombarded with facing people’s trauma.

Statistics indicate that one-third of UK’s General Practitioners face this pressure, with a considerable number experiencing worse forms. Below are some wellness tips on dealing with the phenomenon.

Be deliberate about healthy eating

Usually, the first thing that goes out the window when a person experiences compassion fatigue is the loss of appetite. The degree of exhaustion and burnout may interfere with hunger hormones, causing you to stay away from food.

Unfortunately, that only aggravates the situation and makes it harder to deal with compassion fatigue. For some people, however, it is the exact opposite. They develop cravings for sugary snacks and unhealthy foods as a way to derive comfort.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t work out, especially because these highly-refined foods quickly elevate blood sugar. The momentary feelings after eating such foods will dissipate, leaving you back at square one.

Therefore, it would be beneficial to stick to healthy foods in these moments. Well-balanced nutritious meals can act as mood boosters. Moreover, you'll need the energy to go about your daily caregiving responsibilities.

Commit time to yourself daily

It is easy to slip into your daily routines without giving much thought to yourself. For example, if you are a healthcare worker, the number of daily cases you have to deal with may interfere with your ‘me – time.’ This is why you need to consciously create time for yourself. It will help if you plan each day with ‘me-time’ scheduled. Sometimes, fixing such moments in your diary becomes necessary to enable you to see through them.

As a nurse or physician, as little as ten minutes can do some magic to help you relax. It can be pretty challenging to comprehend how doctors get a work/life balance with such full schedules. However, it requires a deliberate effort to put relaxation times into their tightly-packed days.

There is so much you can do in these ‘me-time’ moments. The guiding principle is to make the period worth it. With that in mind, it would be best to make room for unexpected events that may require your presence as a primary caregiver.

Reach out or join support groups

One vital wellness tip when dealing with compassion fatigue is to reach out for help. You will need a trusted circle of confidants to help you through this phase. Usually, support groups offer targeted help to address issues faced by people experiencing the phenomenon. Often, it is the last resort when all other mitigating measures have failed to yield favourable results or outcomes.

Last but not the least, it is usually recommended to deal with compassion fatigue by staying positive-minded. Self-affirmations, positive thoughts and mindfulness can become your coping mechanisms as you wade through these times.

Statement: Collaboration