Compassion Fatigue



Abstract

This study deals with defining the term compassion fatigue and differentiate it with other related terms. It is mainly associated with the problems of compassion fatigue and the problems that result due to the issues related with the loss of feeling of compassion and care and result in the negative effects of the compassion. This is research is mainly deals with the concept of compassion fatigue in the field of nursing and how these nurses involved in this problem. This study is conducted with the help of various researches available in this field. Most of the researchers are concerned with the differentiation of compassion fatigue from other form of work related stress, because for the proper treatment it is important to understand the main reasons and concerns associated with it.

Compassion Fatigue

Introduction

Compassion is the term which is associated with the emotional and psychological support and comfort provided to someone who is in the need of it. Love and attention is what the need of every individual, there a number of people who are suffering from different physical and psychological problems these people need extra care and emotional support to struggle through their desperate conditions. There are a number of people who devote themselves in caring and support of the suffering humanity. Nurses, doctors, lawyers, social workers, psychotherapists and councilors are completely devoted with the field of providing care and compassion. It is the responsibility of these people and demand of their profession that these people are supposed to provide comfort to those who needs it and for this purpose these care givers sacrifice their personal life and rest. Compassion associated with these fields requires that the care provider must provide the emotional healing to the client. It is very difficult task that requires complete energy and passion of the people associated with these fields. This sometime result in overexertion of these care providers and thus affect their efficiency. These people begin to lose interest in their field and start showing negative attitude. This also results in aggression, anger, anxiety and then these people continuously complains for the depression. This is the time that these people are completely under the condition of stress. This is the state in which these caregivers suffer under the negative psychological and physical effects. The prolonged involvement of these people in this profession results in the traumatic stress. This is the form of fatigue that results due to the continuous involvement in care giving. This is the reason that this traumatic stress due to providing comfort is referred to as comfort fatigue. This mostly occurs due to overexertion of these care givers. During the process of providing care and comfort to others these people unconsciously absorbs the burden and distress, anxiety, pain and trauma of other people (Bush, 2009, p.24). This fatigue and exertion has the destructive effect on the personality of the care giver. It affects the care giver with the depth he was involved in care giving. It not only affects the care giver ...