UNDERSTANDING COMPASSION FATIGUE
DR JOHN DEMARTINI explains how prolonged feelings of upset and helplessness affect us
Think about the tragedies we’re exposed to every day in the media – natural disasters, fatal accidents. These events can take a serious toll on our mental and emotional wellbeing, and that’s known as compassion fatigue.
WHAT IS CF?
Compassion fatigue is a treatable condition that can be the result of helping or wanting to help other people under significant stress or trauma.
WHAT SETS IT APART?
“Compassion fatigue happens when there’s prolonged exposure to traumatic stories, and makes individuals susceptible to wane in compassion,” says Dr John Demartini, human behaviour specialist and founder of the
Demartini Institute.
Indicators of compassion fatigue can include:
✦ Feeling weighed down by the suffering of others
✦ Feeling guilty that you aren’t helping enough
✦ Isolating yourself
✦ Physical, emotional and mental fatigue
HOW DO YOU MANAGE CF?
Here are effective ways Dr Demartini suggests to help work through compassion fatigue:
1 Write a list of upsides and opportunities that are beginning to emerge since the challenging event.
2 Fill your day with high priority actions to follow. This will maximise your objectivity and resilience.
3 Get enough sleep. This allows your mind and body to return to homeostasis (balance).
4 Focus on what you can control, not on what you can’t. You can control your perceptions and actions – not always outside events.
5 Meditate on what is most important and meaningful to you. Breathing deeply calms the mind and assists you in adaptation and solution orientation.