Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Shaz51]

Hello @Appleblossom, @Former-Member,

The following about Burn out is going to a bit text heavy. It might be worth skimming it, looking at each stage and some of the dot points associated with it, and come back another time to read it in depth. 

Some frameworks suggest that burn out consists of three stages

Stage 1 – Stress Arousal

Stage 2 – Energy Conservation

Stage 3 – Exhaustion

Stage 1 - Stress Arousal

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Bruxism (grinding teeth at night)
• Insomnia
• Forgetfulness/poor concentration
• Gastro-intestinal disorders
• Headaches

Stress Arousal.

Stress arousal includes physiological and psychological responses. Some of these include persistent irritability, persistent anxiety, periods of high blood pressure, bruxism (the grinding of teeth during sleep), insomnia, and forgetfulness. Additionally, you may have heart palpitations, unusual heart arrhythmia, concentration problems, headaches/stomach problems, and acute gastrointestinal symptoms. With the presence of any two of these, you may be experiencing stage 1 stress arousal.

Stage 2 - Energy Conservation

• Lateness
• Procrastination/turning work in late
• Excessive time off
• Sexual dysfunction
• Fatigue
• Social withdrawal
• Increased substance use

Energy Conservation.

Energy conservation attempts to compensate for stress. If those strategies fail, consequences might include excessive lateness; procrastination; excessive time off; sexual dysfunction (desire, performance); persistent tiredness; social withdrawal from friends and family; increased cynicism; resentment; increased substance use (nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, prescription drugs); excessive apathy; and lack or loss of spirituality. Again, any two of these symptoms may signal you're in stage 2 of the burnout cycle.

Stage 3 - Exhaustion

• Chronic sadness/depression
• Suicidal ideations
• Chronic headaches
• Social isolation

 Exhaustion

The exhaustion stage is where most people finally get a sense that something may be wrong. The symptoms include: chronic sadness or depression, chronic stomach or bowel problems, chronic mental fatigue, chronic physical fatigue, chronic headaches or migraines, the desire to "drop out" of society… the desire to get away from family, friends, and even recurrent suicidal ideation. Like the previous stages any two of these symptoms can indicate stage 3 burnout.

[Appleblossom]

They are both great posts @Shaz51

Wow "lateness" as a sign of compassion fatigue.  Makes sense to me.  Not being able to leave chores or children at home to get away early to ensure being on time.

[Shaz51]

same here @Appleblossom, but with no children here, all grown up now xx

[Former-Member]

Thanks for this @Shaz51, lots of MI in my family, me included, i've been spending more time with frail but difficult unwell parents and troubled siblings lately - sure taking its toll on me. Better start taking better care of myself - how do we do that again lol. Thanks for the reminder. Guess i'm lucky i live alone in that regard. Hope you are having a fair day today. Hi Appleblossom

[Appleblossom]

Sounds like you have had your hands full. @Former-Member

@Shaz51 posts about compassion fatigue are spot on

dont you think?

[Former-Member]

just found this online today...

FIVE PATHWAYS FOR HEALING OR PREVENTING COMPASSION FATIGUE:
1. Consider how you replenish your mind, body, heart and spirit
How do you nourish your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health on a daily basis? As helpers, we are the tools of our trade – our energy, vitality, attitude, optimism and more all contribute to our success and capacity within our work. We have to be healthy to do our best work, and to do this work in ways that are sustainable and enriching over time. We must practice what we preach and ensure that our own restorative self-care is a top priority in order to prevent compassion fatigue.

How do YOU fill your own emotional cup?

2. Access and nurture support
Emotional support, peer support and supervision are all helpful when it comes to mitigating the risk of compassion fatigue. In fact, social support is one of the key predictors of whether or not a professional will suffer or stay well (Fisher, P. & Abrahamson, K., 2002). We need one another to stay strong, resilient and healthy as helpers. We are not meant to do this alone or in isolation. How we care for one another matters too!

Who are your sources of meaningful emotional support?

3. Stay connected to meaning
Research shows that the more we stay connected to the hope, joys, rewards and sense of purpose and meaning within our work as helping professionals, healers and change agents, the more we mitigate the risk for burnout and compassion fatigue.

What brings you joy as a helper?
What are your sources of “compassion satisfaction”?

4. Engage in reflective practice
Mindfulness, reflective practice and journaling (Monk, 2009) are all proven ways to mitigate the risk for compassion fatigue. The more self-aware, grounded, centered and present in the moment we are, the more attuned to our own needs we become. Listening within is at the heart of well-being and renewal for helpers.

How do you engage in reflective practice?
How do you increase your self-awareness?

5. Be kind to yourself
Treat yourself with the same care, compassion and concern that you treat others, including your clients and those you serve. We can be hard on ourselves as helpers. Yet self-compassion is the path to having true compassion for others.

In what ways are you kind and compassionate with yourself?

We do not have to reduce compassion or turn away from caring in order to prevent compassion fatigue. Rather, in the presence of deep self-compassion, in the form of self-care and personal renewal, all other caring can flow.

Compassion, defined as a deep caring for another and wanting to connect and help another, is a precious aspect of our human nature and a core value and ethical imperative within any helping profession. Ultimately, to stay well, when it comes to self-care and caring for others, we can ask ourselves: “What is the most compassionate thing to do here?”

I have grown to believe, and I recognize that it is a paradox of sorts, that compassion is in fact the balm that heals and prevents compassion fatigue. Compassion, in other words, is what heals us all.

http://blog.ctrinstitute.com/compassion-fatigue/

[JoJo99]

Hi @BeHappy@CherryBomb  are you still using this forum? Your situation sounds so similar to mine. I would love a chat to see how you are and if you are still in a carers role. I can't ever seem to break out of mine. Love to hear from you. 

Jo

[Shaz51]

We sure are using this thread @JoJo99 xx

I get compassion fatigue all the time

Good morning @CherryBomb, @Former-Member, @Appleblossom, @aristosane, @BeHappy xxx

[Grasshopper3]

I am exhausted too I need sleeeep 😞

[Shaz51]

hello @Grasshopper3, how are you today ?? hope you are ok