It may seem like an oxymoron, but the truth is that you can care too much. When caregivers care too much that they neglect themselves, it can create a downward spiral of self destruction known as Compassion Fatigue. Understanding the symptoms of this condition is the first step managing it and to moving towards a healthier state of being.

Do any of these sound familiar?

• Feeling immune to the suffering of others – Have you lost the ability to feel compassion for your loved one’s pain?
• Feeling hopeless – Do you feel like your situation is hopeless and that nothing you do matters?
• Addiction – Do you suffer from compulsive behaviours such as drug use or overeating? The behaviour typically is a coping mechanism for managing difficult feelings.
• Insomnia – Do you lose sleep over your loved one’s health and well being? Are you having nightmares about the trauma associated with caring for your loved one?
• Neglecting yourself – Do you have a dissolved appearance and/or poor personal hygiene?
• Apathy – Are you disinterested in activities that you one enjoyed?
• Chronic physical ailments (such as GI issues and colds) – Are you chronically sick or in pain?

Care givers often cope by ignoring string emotions, but eventually these emotions will become so intense they will not be ignored and a crisis can occur. Unidentified compassion fatigue causes a decline in health for caregivers and diminished care for their loved ones. In addition, care givers who do not address their emotional problems are at risk for substance abuse and other self destructive behaviours.

Come back tomorrow to know more about compassion fatigue. Till then here more on self compassion > https://empress2inspire.blog/2019/03/22/self-compassion/

Reference : https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6f/80/93/6f8093d40ae837767ef9c6c6b7ab80ea.jpg