Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Vicarious Trauma

Last week, I opened a discussion on high burnout jobs. I talked about my personal experience while working in mental health agencies and specifically pointed out the increased suicide rates in emergency veterinarians. But what does burnout even mean? Today, I want to break this down and talk about the different between burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma in the workplace. 

Burnout refers to the physical and emotional erosion that someone can experience when they feel regularly unsatisfied, powerless and overwhelmed at work. Some symptoms of burnout include exhaustion (feeling physically and mentally drained), disconnection from self (feeling hardened or numb), increased anxiety and depression, and reduced investment in accomplishing work goals. 

Compassion Fatigue (CF) refers to the deep emotional exhaustion experienced after repeat exposure to traumatic situations or stories. This exhaustion diminishes one’s ability to feel empathy for their clients, loved ones and coworkers. People who are naturally empathic are at higher risk for developing CF because they tend to align with traumatic situations and stories more deeply. You may have heard this described as “having nothing left to give” or “the cost of caring.” 

Vicarious Trauma refers to a profound shift in worldview after being repeatedly exposed to the traumatic experiences of others. Though they have not experienced the traumatic event first hand, they may develop symptoms similar to PTSD such as intrusive imagery (images of trauma popping into your head), dreaming about the traumatic situation or avoiding certain situations or activities associated with the trauma.

These three conditions can range in severity depending on the individual and specific circumstances. If you find yourself struggling from your job it is incredibly helpful to understand these so that you DO NOT identify the problem as inherently you! In helping professions, these conditions are incredibly common and most of the time we are not given the tools to help us navigate them. 

There are a number of strategies and skills you can learn to get through these difficult circumstances. Next week I will go into more detail about these and explain how to incorporate them into your self-care routine. 

Have you struggled with burnout, compassion fatigue and/or vicarious trauma in the workplace? What was that experience like for you and how did you cope with it? Please share in the comments below!