Overcoming compassion fatigue

This is the second of two articles on compassion fatigue. The previous one covered the causes and effects of the syndrome in veterinary medicine.

It's that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. It's the reason you delay going to work in the morning and why the job you once loved now seems a dreary obligation.

It's called compassion fatigue — a syndrome that is taking its toll on many in the veterinary profession.

Last month, we explained that compassion fatigue is caused by the repeated exposure to death and supporting people's emotions for prolonged periods.

If you suffer from it, you already know the symptoms: avoidance behaviors, high anxiety, indifference to others, intrusive thoughts of work, loss of meaning to life, physical ailments, and feeling trapped, drained and victimized by your job.

If that describes you, how can you deal with it before it further impacts your life or makes you want to leave the veterinary profession altogether?

The key is resiliency.

Resiliency simply refers to the set of skills necessary to recover from adversity, and it's so important that entire fields of study are focused on it.

Suggested reading

To develop resiliency, you must first identify the skills you need to help you recover from emotional traumas or stressors, and then work to create them.

Here is where you can tap into the wisdom of your four-legged patients:

Guard the fence. Patrol it often. Establish healthy emotional boundaries with your clients (e.g., be careful about staying late, coming in on your day off and spending inordinate amounts of time with patients and their families). This is particularly true for clients who may trigger your own personal issues. Carefully monitor your own feelings with these clients and be aware of how much time you spend helping them. Good emotional boundaries protect your heart from becoming over-invested and help you set positive limits.

Put the pack first. There's safety in numbers. You will cope with job stressors much better when your veterinary team sticks together. Seek support from your colleagues and help each other through the really tough days.

Cry when you have to, then go for the belly rub. Unexpressed grief often is at the core of compassion fatigue. Take the time to say good-bye to a beloved patient or share your feelings regarding a patient's treatment. Seek comfort from trusted friends rather than stoically trying to push feelings aside.

Break out the toys and catnip. Surround yourself and your pet hospital with humor. Studies show that highly resilient people have a corresponding good sense of humor. It's OK to laugh in the face of death at times. It doesn't make you callous; it makes you sane. As long as your humor is not at another's expense, or insensitive to clients, it can be a soothing antidote to the pain of loss.

Growl/hiss when necessary. Be assertive and clear about your needs. Many people in the "helping" professions fail to do this and end up suffering for it. Stand up for yourself and communicate openly if you're being taken advantage of.

Go to the park and get rid of the garbage. At the end of each day, create rituals/activities that signal the end of work (e.g., as you pass each stoplight going home, imagine all the stressors leaving your car and your mind). Keep your work and home life separate by taking out the "emotional garbage" daily.

Sometimes, be a couch potato. Rest, rest and rest some more! When was the last time you did absolutely nothing? What decade was it? Our society promotes the myth that there is little value in resting. Doing something—anything—is better than doing nothing. Rest is essential to dealing with strong emotions.

Wag your tail and purr often. Resiliency is about creating balance. Seek out activities/hobbies that make you feel refreshed and replenished. When the day is heavy with sadness or death, seek out the lighter side of life (e.g., take a 10-minute break to read the cartoons, or kick around a soccer ball with your staff during lunch).

Camp out under the dinner table. Be pragmatic about your situation. Every animal that comes into your hospital will die eventually. It's the natural order, but you can get fooled into thinking it should never happen. Remember this trap every time you walk through the door.

Go to obedience school. Develop a personal comfort level with difficult emotions like loss and grief. If you want more confidence in dealing with these issues, get some training to build your skills. See the resources for help.

Grab the leash today. If you are experiencing compassion fatigue, ask yourself the hard questions about your life and the direction you want to take. Make a commitment to yourself and don't put it off. Do one thing today to put a plan into action.

Ms. Durrance, MA, co-owns Mountain Shadows Pet Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., with her husband (a veterinarian). She is a veterinary grief counselor for World by the Tail's Web site www.PetPeopleHelp.com. She provides grief support and consultations for both pet owners and veterinary professionals through PetPeopleHelp's support service. Durrance is the former director of changes for The Support for People and Pets Program, the pioneering pet loss support and education program at Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.