Exceptional is the person that can truly see through someone else’s eyes. The skill of empathy is extraordinary, as this talent is not as easily mastered by all. Being able to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes can be illuminating and will give you a broad perspective of life. Yet, this valuable skill also comes with its pitfalls. The ability to truly bond with those around you and feel their feelings can leave you vulnerable to negative feelings and their consequences as well.
Those in caregiving roles tend to be empathetic, compassionate, and selfless. It takes a distinctive type of person to care for others. This role can be extremely fulfilling and leave you with a sense of purpose. Watching your patients gain their health after a bout of flu, relearn to walk after a broken ankle, or work their way out of depression is rewarding. When you have empathy, it feels as though you have also reclaimed your health, remembered how to walk, or recognized the beauty of your life alongside those you are caring for. However, there are aspects of being empathetic that can be difficult to navigate. One of these is developing empathy fatigue.
This article will help you answer some common questions about empathy fatigue. What is empathy fatigue? What is empathy fatigue vs compassion fatigue? Who does it affect? How do I prevent and treat it? Read further for a better understanding of empathy fatigue and how it may be affecting you.
Related: 12 Strategies to Help Prevent Burnout
What Is Empathy Fatigue?
Empathy is the ability to sense other people's emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. Essentially, when you have empathy, you can vividly imagine yourself going through the same experience as the other person. This can induce legitimate feelings in oneself for the experience of another.
The term empathy fatigue was coined by Professor Mark Stebnicki well over a decade ago. It refers to “a state of psychological, emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and occupational exhaustion that occurs when the counselor’s own wounds are continually revisited by their clients’ life stories of chronic illness, disability, trauma, grief, and loss.”
Today, it is further understood that a person can experience empathy fatigue beyond those who work in the counseling profession. More importantly, a person does not have to have experienced something similar to the person they are caring for to develop compassion fatigue.
In cases of true empathy, you are “feeling” the person’s negative feelings along with them — and this can become emotionally overwhelming. When you experience traumatic situations repeatedly, your empathy can leave you feeling drained. Without proper coping skills, you may lose your ability to feel empathy altogether, and it may become difficult to identify with your patient, feel compassion for their situation, or care about the events that are occurring as you once did.
Recognizing Empathy Fatigue Symptoms
Because empathy fatigue is a reaction to stressors, it can manifest in a variety of symptoms, both physical and psychological. Be on alert for these issues:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Trouble sleeping
- Appetite changes
- Coming down with illnesses often, like colds
- Compulsive behavior such as gambling or overeating
- Exhaustion
- Feeling apathetic, numb, or uncaring
- Increased irritability, agitation, or anger
- Feelings of overwhelm or hopelessness
- Feeling tense
- Inability to rid yourself of thoughts about the suffering of others
- Isolating yourself from others
- Difficulty concentrating
- Frequent outbursts
- Hypersensitivity to emotional material such as movies, commercials, or books
- Blaming yourself for other’s suffering
If any of these sound familiar, you might be dealing with empathy fatigue. Recognizing that you are not yourself is the first step to resolving the problem. You may want to try taking our burnout self-assessment as an easy course of action to assess the severity of your symptoms.
Who is Empathy Fatigue Affecting?
Empathy fatigue traditionally is a condition felt by those in the caregiving professions and roles. However, with increasing occurrences of traumatic events worldwide, this has extended to a wide variety of people. We have endured a viral pandemic, watched as natural disasters have ravaged communities across the world, and shifted our entire lifestyles due to never-before-seen circumstances.
The list of those affected by empathy fatigue includes, but is not limited to:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- EMTs
- Ancillary staff in hospitals
- Counselors
- Therapists
- Social workers
- Home caregivers
- Journalists
- Teachers
- Empaths
- Even the general population
Empathy fatigue can affect anyone finding themselves in consistently stressful situations. There are many factors, some of which can be altered to create a better work environment. However, if you are in a profession that does not align with your goals and values, you may be more prone to burnout and empathy fatigue. It could be helpful to evaluate your career choice and aptitudes.
The Covid Pandemic Impact on Empathy Fatigue
It should come as no surprise that professionals who work directly with Covid patients are experiencing higher levels of empathy fatigue. However, what might be surprising is the fact that this goes beyond that.
The Covid pandemic has impacted our ability to feel empathy and exacerbated feelings of fatigue. Research indicates that Americans have felt a 14% decrease in empathy since 2019. This is due to extended stress.
When we feel out of control, it wears on our emotional state. So does hearing the devastating mortality rate of Covid 19. Each time that we hear worrisome statistics or about yet another surge of infections, we become desensitized and tend to shy away. This is a normal tactic of our brains to help protect ourselves. Yet, it leads to empathy fatigue.
What Causes Empathy Fatigue?
The prevailing cause of empathy fatigue is repeated or continuous exposure to high-stress situations that instill negative feelings. Through consistent strain or trauma, we become desensitized. This is particularly relevant in healthcare professions, which can be debilitating to your ability to empathize with your patients. It can even trend toward an issue known as healthcare burnout.
Yet anybody can feel empathy fatigue when they feel overwhelmed by their feelings relating to another’s circumstances. This can be affected by an increased number of stressors. Think of parents who are suddenly finding themselves in the role of a teacher in addition to their normal activities. Or teachers who are suddenly finding themselves expanding their role into nurses as they oversee the health of their students during class.
Another factor is poor self-awareness when it comes to self-care. The old saying “Yo can’t pour from an empty glass” has quite a bit of weight behind it. Often, empathetic people tend to put others’ needs ahead of their own. Sometimes they even feel selfish or as if they are failing when they have needs. If this sounds like you, empathy fatigue is a likely problem. This puts your risk high for exhaustion, burnout, and depression.
If you lack boundaries in your life, you set yourself at a higher risk for empathy fatigue. This ties into self-care. Taking time for yourself, such as sufficient break periods, using your vacation time, and detaching from work when you are off the clock, are requirements for maintaining a quality work-life balance.
Another cause could be a sudden loss. This can look like getting fired, losing your home to a fire, the death of someone close to you, or anything else that throws your life off balance. For those who have a great deal of empathy, these circumstances don’t even need to be personal. Without positive coping skills, these overwhelming situations will send anyone into a tailspin.
Empathy Fatigue vs Compassion Fatigue
While many resources insinuate that they are the same, empathy fatigue vs compassion fatigue are actually distinctly different. While there are many similarities and the symptoms often present in similar ways, there is a key difference.
Those dealing with compassion fatigue find the act of caring to be overwhelming. They cannot bring themselves to do compassionate things for their patients or others in their care.
Empathy fatigue relates to emotions. You find that you no longer can relate to the feelings of others, and it may go as far as apathy.
Empathy Fatigue vs Burnout Syndrome
Intrinsically comparable to empathy fatigue, burnout is another common condition. Empathy fatigue tends to occur in a smaller population since those withstanding it must be feeling the feelings of those they care for. There is a prerequisite of a caregiving role in the situation. Burnout affects a wider community.
Burnout syndrome relates to first-hand stress in a job or other endeavor that is lacking fulfillment in some fashion. Sustained stress in an environment that does not offer support, lacks the resources necessary for the job, or falls short in some other manner will result in burnout. This is particularly relevant for physicians, nurses, and therapists. However, burnout can be found in any occupation.
Those who experience empathy fatigue but choose to ignore it may find themselves in a worse position. Refusing to cope with this condition may snowball into the larger issue of burnout. Fatigue tends to be easier to treat; burnout requires more time and effort to overcome.
Risks of Empathy Fatigue
There are risks involved with empathy fatigue. If left unchecked, empathy fatigue can lead to a lack of connection with those under your care. We become less resilient. And our careers and relationships will suffer. We cannot be effective caregivers without connection and rapport, which is founded upon empathy.
There is also a possibility of learned helplessness. This is a viewpoint created by the circumstance that we have learned that action in the past does not make any difference, so why should we create action now? We see this in lack of participation with racial equality, attempting to get a better union contract, or trying to help an addict find recovery.
How to Prevent Empathy Fatigue
These risks are why it is important to prevent empathy fatigue. Developing your self-awareness is imperative. Listen to your feelings. Learning about yourself and your emotional triggers can help you avoid or cope with these feelings. This can be done by:
- Journaling
- Reading
- Undertaking spiritual activities
- Meditation
- Practicing mindfulness
- Practicing gratitude
It is imperative to set boundaries. Recognize that you can only support those in your care, but you are a separate person who cannot do their emotional work for them. Learn to treat empathy as a skill instead of a feeling. This allows you the ability to “turn it off” when your shift ends. Acknowledge that it is ok to say “no” when something does not serve your own needs.
Institute a routine that separates your work life from your personal life. One method is to choose a landmark halfway on your commute home. The portion of your trip before the post office, for example, allow yourself time to reflect on work issues and your experiences. Once you pass the post office, pause work thoughts. Now, focus on your personal life. What are you going to do when you get home? Is your dog going to meet you at the door? You could also choose to create an actual schedule that portions your day into work hours and personal hours.
How to Treat Empathy Fatigue
If you find that you are dealing with empathy fatigue, treatment is essential. This can be achieved by:Self-care such as honest self-reflection and setting boundaries
- Allowing yourself consistent breaks
- Doing a self-assessment of stressors daily
- Eating nutritiously
- Getting enough sleep
- Exercising
- Learning a new skill
- Laughter
- Practicing gratitude
- Meditation
- Practicing mindfulness
- Listening to people who have gone through similar experiences
- Talking to friends, colleagues, or a professional such as a counselor
Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well. Marcus Valerius Martial
Empathy fatigue is a stress reaction. It can be a single condition or occur concurrently with others. A variety of information can be found about various conditions through our blog.
The most crucial steps for overcoming empathy fatigue, compassion fatigue, or burnout are acknowledging that there is a problem and reaching out for help.
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