{"id":10359,"date":"2023-09-19T10:51:50","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T00:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindbodyfoodinstitute.com\/?p=10359"},"modified":"2025-03-17T09:45:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T23:45:08","slug":"recognising-the-symptoms-of-burnout-and-compassion-fatigue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindbodyfoodinstitute.com\/recognising-the-symptoms-of-burnout-and-compassion-fatigue\/","title":{"rendered":"Recognising The Symptoms of Burnout and Compassion Fatigue"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Part 2 of 3<\/strong><\/p>

Welcome to the second instalment of our series, “Compassion Fatigue and Burnout: The Hidden Danger for Helping Professions.”<\/p>

In Part 2, we\u2019re diving deeper into the concerns frequently faced by helping professionals. We’ll also put the spotlight on the unmistakable symptoms of burnout and compassion fatigue, and highlight the hidden dangers to our personal wellbeing.<\/strong><\/p>

I have been personally experiencing\u00a0compassion fatigue and burnout\u00a0this year – hindered by a painfully slow healing process from a scary bacterial infection in both of my eyes late last year (a whole other story!). Despite this, I didn’t slow down because I have staff, contractors and students depending on me. I was determined to update content, add new protocols and resources, and work with developers to upgrade our student platform \u2013 all while continuing to teach and support our students and deal with all the problems that unexpectedly arise.<\/p>

My days were long and there was little time off or quality rest \u2013 I’d lay awake until the wee hours thinking, planning, problem-solving and wondering why I couldn\u2019t fall asleep.<\/p>

The stress and overwhelm at so many small tasks piling up around me was akin to slowly sinking into quicksand. No matter how much energy and effort I gave, I felt a pull in the opposite direction with a distinct rise in apathy. I was growing tired and working from home made it easier to isolate. I perceived my time and choices were slipping from my own control and I increasingly felt agitated and resentful of how much I felt expected to do\u2026 almost as if it were taking over my life.<\/p>

The demand on my time and neglect of my own self-care was impacting my sleep, mood, energy and general interest \u2013 I love what I do but slowly waking to the realisation that I didn\u2019t want to get up and go to \u2018work\u2019 did not feel good. And this is when I realised something was wrong.<\/p>

Concerns for Helping Professionals<\/strong><\/h6>

While helping professionals are dedicated to providing care and support to others, they also face a unique set of concerns and challenges in their roles:<\/p>

  1. Emotional Toll:<\/strong> Helping professionals often absorb the emotional suffering of their patients or clients. This continuous exposure to trauma and distress can take a significant emotional toll.<\/li>
  2. Heavy Responsibility:<\/strong> The weight of responsibility for the well-being of others can be overwhelming. Helping professionals may carry a deep sense of responsibility for their clients’ outcomes.<\/li>
  3. Lack of Recognition:<\/strong> The work of helping professionals often goes unnoticed or underappreciated. This lack of recognition can lead to feelings of frustration and unfulfillment.<\/li>
  4. Work-Life Balance:<\/strong> Striking a balance between their demanding work and personal lives can be challenging. Long hours, irregular schedules, and the need to be constantly available can erode personal time and self-care.<\/li>
  5. Risk of Vicarious Trauma:<\/strong> Witnessing the trauma and suffering of others can result in vicarious trauma, where helping professionals experience symptoms similar to those of their clients.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Symptoms of Burnout<\/strong><\/h6>

    Recognising the signs of compassion fatigue and burnout is essential, as they can impact both personal wellbeing and professional effectiveness. Here are common symptoms associated with compassion fatigue:<\/p>