{"id":34136,"date":"2017-03-01T06:00:16","date_gmt":"2017-03-01T14:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=34136"},"modified":"2017-02-27T11:35:36","modified_gmt":"2017-02-27T19:35:36","slug":"compassion-fatigue-can-you-care-too-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/compassion-fatigue-can-you-care-too-much-0301174","title":{"rendered":"Compassion Fatigue: Can You Care Too Much?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-34143\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/aging-adult-daughter-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mature woman and adult daughter sit close to each other with sad expressions on their faces. Younger woman is holding her mother&#039;s hand.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/aging-adult-daughter-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/aging-adult-daughter.jpg 724w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Whether out of obligation or out of a caring heart, more than 65 million adults in the United States take care of an elderly, chronically ill, or disabled loved one. Most of these ailing adults want to continue living at home as they age and their health declines, rather than in an assisted living situation like a nursing home. Because resources are more abundant now for in-home care, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153aging in place\u00e2\u20ac\u009d has become more common.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a caregiver in this situation, chances are you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re prioritizing care of another person over your own needs. You might be losing sleep and feeling fatigued or distracted. It could be you find yourself losing your temper easily. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s even a possibility you have lost friends or are facing new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/money-and-financial-issues\">financial struggles<\/a> because of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/caregiver-issues\">caregiver role<\/a>. All of this might leave you experiencing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/emotional-overwhelm\">overwhelm<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Is it possible to care <em>too<\/em> much?<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-fatwidget align-right\">\n\t<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/find-therapist.html\" target=\"_blank\">Find a Therapist<\/a><\/h2>\n\t<form action=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/search-redirect.html\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t\t<input required name=\"search[zipcode]\" placeholder=\"Enter ZIP or City\" class=\"inline-input\" type=\"text\" \/>\n\n\n\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" name=\"TOS agreement\" value=\" \" class=\"inline-btn\" title=\"Search\" onclick=\"ga('send', 'event', 'FAT Widget', 'Submit Search', 'Sidebar', {nonInteraction: true});\" \/>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/advanced-search.html\" title=\"Advanced Search\" onclick=\"ga('send', 'event', 'FAT Widget', 'Advanced Search', 'Sidebar', {nonInteraction: true});\" >Advanced Search<\/a>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<p>The answer is yes. This &#8220;caring too much&#8221;\u00c2\u00a0can be described as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153compassion fatigue.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/compassion-fatigue\">Compassion fatigue<\/a>,\u00c2\u00a0a stress condition marked by a gradual decline in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/definition-of-compassion\">compassion<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/empathy\">empathy<\/a> toward others, often affects people in professional health care positions. But it can also happen at home when a well-intentioned caregiver overexerts in helping a person with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/disabilities\">chronic illness or disability<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Compassion fatigue is different than burnout. When a caregiver is experiencing burnout, they have all but lost the ability to empathize or give care to others. Compassion fatigue happens when we help others who are in stressful situations, and burnout originates from occupational stress and being overworked.<\/p>\n<h2>Signs and Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue<\/h2>\n<p>Caregivers tend to experience compassion fatigue rather than burnout, although in severe cases, caregivers can experience burnout too. Some signs of compassion fatigue include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/apathy\">Apathy<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Increased <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/anxiety\">anxiety<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Changes in sleep (too much or too little)<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty concentrating<\/li>\n<li>Physical ailments such as headaches, stomachaches, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Withdrawal from others<\/li>\n<li>Reducing or stopping pleasurable activities<\/li>\n<li>Neglecting one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/self-care\">self-care<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Lowered resistance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/health-illness-medical-issues\">illness<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Feeling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/psychpedia\/patience\">impatient<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/irritability\">irritable<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Because people in caregiver situations often feel compelled to continue this role, they could be at risk for compassion fatigue. Learning to recognize and manage the signs and symptoms above effectively is imperative if you want to continue caregiving for your loved one. If ignored, these emotions and symptoms can intensify, and can eventually lead to more serious mental and physical issues.<\/p>\n<h2>5 Tips for Fighting Off Compassion Fatigue<\/h2>\n<p>If you believe you are at risk for compassion fatigue, it is not too late to stop the progression. Here are five tips for self-healing:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Get enough sleep:<\/strong> You will likely have more energy and sharper thinking when your body is well-rested. This might mean engaging home health care services or a sitter to be with your loved one through the night while you rest. It may help you recharge and feel ready to take on a new day.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Eat nutritious food:<\/strong> When we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in a hurry, we tend to eat whatever is easy, and those choices aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t typically wholesome. Unhealthy food (including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/drug-and-substance-abuse\">drugs and alcohol<\/a>) can leave us feeling sluggish and bloated, making it a challenge to be active and effective. Meal planning for the week can be a helpful way to stick to a healthier diet. Skipping alcohol and choosing water will likely help cleanse and rejuvenate your body.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Get moving:<\/strong> While it may seem selfish to take time out of caregiving to exercise, the fact is exercise can boost your immune system, increase the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153feel-good\u00e2\u20ac\u009d chemicals in your brain to fight off <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/learn-about-therapy\/issues\/depression\">depression<\/a>, and relieve physical stress. Sparing even 20 minutes a day can be beneficial both physically and mentally.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enlist the help of others:<\/strong> Solo caregiving is asking for trouble. It is nearly impossible to care for another person 24\/7 without aid. Asking a family member or close friend to take your place for a few hours, or enlisting home health care may give you some respite time to care for yourself. Your support system is crucial to your survival!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Practice boundary-setting<\/strong>: Know when caregiving is too much and when you need to ask for help. Even if your loved one prefers your care to someone else\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, be aware of your limits and say no when needed. Express your own needs and concerns with others.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you are on the downward spiral of compassion fatigue, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/find-therapist.html\">seek the support of a licensed therapist<\/a> and start caring for yourself, too. As American author and teacher in American Theravada Buddhism Jack Kornfield wrote, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p><strong>References:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Signs of caregiver burnout and how to prevent it. (n.d.). Retrieved from https:\/\/www.vitas.com\/resources\/caregiving\/signs-of-caregiver-burnout<\/li>\n<li>What is compassion fatigue? (2013). Retrieved from http:\/\/www.compassionfatigue.org\/pages\/compassionfatigue.html<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The role of caregiver is a demanding one, and there can come a point when overwhelm gives way to compassion fatigue. Know the signs and what to do about it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2697,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[542,623],"tags":[445,452,638],"class_list":["post-34136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured-articles","category-issues-treated","tag-caregiver-issues-stress","tag-chronic-illness-disability","tag-compassion-fatigue"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2697"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}