Compassion Fatigue
Compassion fatigue, also known as a Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a term that refers to a gradual lessening of compassion over time. It is common among victims of trauma and individuals that work directly with victims of trauma.
Suffers can exhibit several symptoms including hopelessness, a decrease in experiences of pleasure, constant stress and anxiety, and a pervasive negative attitude. This can have detrimental effects on individuals, both professionally and personally, including a decrease in productivity, the inability to focus, and the development of new feelings of incompetency and self doubt.
Compassion fatigue - during and after - emotional / psychological abuse.
The media has been blamed for causing wide spread compassion fatigue in society. Proponents argue that the media's saturation of images and stories of suffering has caused the public to become cynical, or become resistant to helping. They cite preliminary scientific research which is showing that visual images affect brain activity in demonstrable and measurable ways.
Compassion Fatigue: Repetitive Stress of the Heart
Patricia Smith, author
When caregivers [ or those of whom are held captive (emotionally) to a disorderly person ] focus on others without practicing authentic self-care, destructive behaviors can surface such as:
Apathy
Isolation
Bottled-up emotions
Substance abuse
Lack of personal hygiene practices
Emotional outbursts
These symptoms head a long list of symptoms associated with the secondary traumatic stress disorder now labeled: Compassion Fatigue.
