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13. Taking care of yourself as a helper
13. Taking care of yourself as a helper
Aim. To learn how the trauma of others can affect you. Warning signals and the consequences of being an empathetic helper. Learning how to cope.
Talking to survivors of trauma also affects the helper. For all helpers, empathy is an essential aspect of good help. But it is also a source of compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatisation, or secondary traumatic stress( STS). How are helpers to manage their own stress? Early recognition and awareness are crucial to efforts to prevent burn out.
PART I: POINTS OF DEPARTURE
In addition, professionals who work in conflict areas and emergencies are likely to perform less efficiently if they are under this kind of stress. Even large organisations sometimes fail to take sufficient care of their staff, because managers are not adequately trained to spot symptoms, are unprepared for early intervention and prevention, are not equipped to assist, or have poor follow-up procedures. These problems are much more acute for local helpers, who usually have few resources and very little support. All helpers who work closely with traumatised people should take the time to make themselves aware of their own emotional state, and what they need to do to protect themselves from exhaustion while continuing to work professionally and with compassion.
Being exposed vicariously to traumatic events, for example by listening to catastrophic testimonies, may generate some of the same trauma reactions that would occur if you were involved in a serious incident. You may struggle to manage your emotions, have problems in your relationships, find decision-making difficult, have physical problems( aches and pains, illnesses), feel hopeless, think your life has no meaning, or experience a collapse in self-esteem.
It is therefore important to develop strategies to cope with situations that might cause vicarious trauma-reactions. What helps you to take your mind off your work or your thoughts? How can you rest your body as well as your mind? Does an activity inspire you or put you in a better mood? If you find it useful, you can also use the grounding techniques that you teach survivors.
Helpers who have been personally exposed to GBV have additional reasons to be stressed. At the same time, their experience can give them a special understanding of the hardships and vulnerability of survivors, and this should be recognised and valued.
Like survivors, helpers need support groups. If possible, meet regularly with other helpers to discuss your experiences and feelings, or do things together. If there are too few helpers in your area to create a support group, find friends and other people you trust with whom you can share your feelings without breaking the confidentiality of the survivors you are helping.
( For more information see page 139.)