EXCERPT
What Is Compassion Fatigue?
Put simply, compassion fatigue is a term for mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion resulting from helping others. This isn’t referring to performing tasks along the lines of helping a friend move into their new apartment or copy-editing their CV, according to mental health expert Arin N. Reeves, J.D., Ph.D., author of In Charge. “Compassion fatigue is specifically around helping people experiencing or trying to heal from a trauma,” she says. The partner of a person who was recently attacked, the nurse who works primarily with sexual assault survivors, and a daughter who lives with their parent who recently watched their partner die could all end up with compassion fatigue, for instance.