Learn It, Live It, Loan It

 

Thursday,20th.June.2024.

Learn It, Live It, Loan It:

Decide,

Delegate,

Direct and                                                                                                                                                                                          

Disappear.

Compassion is the beacon of hope.

Compassion is the cornerstone of healing. Compassion is the cornerstone of human connections.

Compassion is the beacon of humanity.

Insidiously, compassion has become a berth of depletion, not the jetty harbouring renewals.

In the all round the clock compassionate pursuits of expunging pains and sufferings, a clandestine adversary lurks within the bodies, hearts, souls, and spirits of the front-line persons.

This psychological and emotional dog exhaustion from the constant demands of empathetic frontline caregivers poses a significant threat to the mental, personal, physical, professional, social, and spiritual well-being of those immersed deeply in the naturing and nurturing arenas.

Unearthing, unpacking, and unraveling microscopically, surgically, and relevantly its complexities unveils a poignant narrative exhibiting resilience and selflessness in the profound face of human needs.

This silent predator stealthily infiltrates the hearts of frontline caregivers eroding their resilience and dampening the very empathy that fuels their noble endeavours.

Compassion is both a tool and a burden.

Compassion flickers and fades under the weight of its altruism.

We unleash not only its profound personal toll but also its far-reaching ripple aftertastes for those dedicating their lives to others in peril-fraught lines.

Welcome to Mind Your Mind.

Welcome to Learning It, Living It, and Loaning It.

Welcome to The Compassion Fatigue.

 

Over 70% of social workers experience compassion fatigue with 16% to 39% of registered nurses experiencing compassion fatigue with the lion’s share of those reports stemming from emergency care, hospice, and oncology arenas.

The prevalence of burnout was between o and 70.1% as at the 8th.February.2022 studies report.

 

The animals’ caregivers, caregivers, case workers, clergy, clinical psychologists, correctional workers, counselors, educational administrators, funeral directors, health care workers, mental health professionals, ministers, news-consuming public, social workers, and therapists are some of the individuals prone to compassion fatigue.

 

(A). Burnout: the end-of-the-rope dog exhaustion. The individual feels that nothing at all counts and matters.

They struggle with a dearth of effectiveness, energy, and enthusiasm.

 

(B). Secondary Traumatic Stress: individuals have been crippled by exposing themselves to others’ sufferings and trauma.

 

(C). Compassion Satisfaction: excitement, fulfillment, pleasures, and satisfaction are derived from work.

 

Causative agents of compassion fatigue are, however not limited to:

 

(I). Personal Circumstances: personal biology such as genetics and personality traits.

Personal coping mechanisms and personal history in dealing with stressful events and

 

(II). Work Conditions: being misunderstood; being undervalued; difficult clients; little or no support; mental health stigma and the general external and internal working environment.

 

The four phases of compassion fatigue are:

 

(I). The Zealot Phase: one is ecstatic, exuberant, and passionate about one’s works.

One goes beyond the set targets.

One is committed and dedicated to one’s mental, physical, social, and spiritual endeavors in all their cranny, crevices, and nooks.

 

(II). The Irritability Phase: absconding takes center stage. Commitment wanes. Quality dwindles. Recklessness is exhibited. Mediocrity and goofs take center stage.

 

(III). The Withdrawal Phase: the line between personal care-taking responsibilities and personal life, pursuits of joy and fulfillment blurs.

 

(IV). The Zombie Phase: regrettably, the caregiver gives the widest berth to those who are in their custodianship and drown in stress and depression. They may fly off the handle and transfer and thrust the wrath of a wasp upon coworkers; viewing them as incompetent.

Faith becomes denial; fellowship becomes divided; fervour becomes deluded and following becomes distant. Regrettably.

Detachment is exhibited.

No clear-cut and dried boundaries.

Irritability is driven towards those being taken care of.

 

According to Nurse Stella Kemunto Nyaanga Roberts teeming up with Traumatologists and Compassion Fatigue Experts Rose Chemtai KipropRecca Nkirote Anthony, Nancy Muthoni Mugambi, Sellah Akinyi Onunga Amimoh, Colleta Aoko Odera, Denis Manzi and Rebecca Wangui Muchiri; these are the cognitive, emotional, physical, and work-related signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue; their impacts and possible, however not exhaustive redress means and ways:

 

Cognitively:

Difficulty in concentration,

Low self-esteem and

Self-blame.

 

Emotionally:

Alcohol, illicit drugs, nicotine, drugs and substances’ abuse, addiction and use;

Anger,

Anxiety,

Depression,

Memory issues,

Mood swings,

Oversensitivity,

Poor concentration,

Poor focus,

Poor sound judgment and

Resentment.

 

Physically:

Cardiac symptoms such as chest pains, palpitations, and tachycardia;

Digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea, and upset stomach;

Fatigue,

Headaches,

Muscle tension,

Sleep disturbances such as insomnia and too much sleep.

 

Work Related:

Absconding,

Dreading working with certain people,

Frequent use of sick days,

Lack of joyfulness,

Reduced ability to feel empathetic towards families and patients.

 

The Aftertastes:

 

Behavioural:

Absenteeism,

Exhaustion,

Frequent job changes,

Irresponsibility,

Irritability,

Mistakes,

Overworking,

Poor judgment,

Presenteeism and

Tardiness.

 

Morale:

Apathy,

Decreased confidence,

Detachment,

Dissatisfaction,

Lack of appreciation and

Negative attitude.

 

Relationships:

Conflicts,

Decreased quality of relationships,

Impatience,

Poor communication,

Social withdrawal and

Subsume own needs.

 

Work Performance:

Avoidance,

Decrease in quality,

Decrease in quantity,

Low motivation,

Mistakes,

Perfectionism,

Procrastination and

Too much conscientiousness.

 

The Redress Methods Are, However Not Limited To:

 

(I). Be kind to yourself. Love yourself.

(II). Be mindful of your feelings, physical sensations, and thoughts.

(III). Care for self through healthy habits.

(IV). Develop interests outside work.

(V). Establish good, religious, and an all round the clock personal self-care.

(VI). Focus on gratitude.

(VII). Focus on what you can change.

(VIII). Form ideal and growth-oriented associations.

(IX). Get quality and enough sleep.

(X). Know when to separate yourself from a situation.

(XI). Lean on your loved ones.

(XI). Limit precious and limited time on the internet.

(XII). Maintain exercises.

(XIII). Maintain a well-balanced diet.

(XIV). Make your surrounding environment positive.

(XV). Seek professional and social support.

(XVI). Set boundaries. Freedom is good, however, it comes clad in smocks called responsibilities. Take care of your freedom before it becomes your free doom.

(XVII). Set realistic goals.

(XVIII). Take Sabbatical moments. Rest completely on the Sabbath Day. Every sun must set.

(XIX). Take time off when needed.

(XX). The Center For Diseases And Control, Mental Health Treatment Among Adults In The USA In 2020 revealed that women received more counselling, guidance, and mental health professional therapies compared to men in the past 12 moons.

(XXI). Use problems as opportunities for personal growth.

(XXII). Use self-compassion.

(XXIII). Utilize healthy self-care strategies.

(XXIV). When all is said and done,enjoy quality rest.

(XXV). When anxiety creeps in, calm down; focus on your breath and slow down your breathing rate.

 

Don’t avoid or run away from problems;

Don’t be a cop-out;

Don’t neglect interests outside work;

Don’t neglect personal self-care;

Don’t neglect self-meditations;

Don’t use self medicate;

Don’t use self-pity and

Don’t work harder and longer.Defer(delay), delegate(drop), delete, discipline, and do.

Work is the most important thing in life so me and you should spare some of it for tomorrow.

 

 

Compassion Fatigue is the cost of caring so much for the mental, physical, social, and spiritual needs of others at the expense of one’s comfort.

Others’ traumas and quagmires become one’s burden.

The Canadian Association also calls it secondary trauma; alternatively vicarious trauma.

 

Assistance in Kenya, just scratching the tip of the iceberg, can be found in:

 

(A). Amani Counselling Center,

(B). Dignified Care,

(C). Faraja Cancer Support,

(D). Nairobi Parkinson’s Support Group,

(E). Psycho-oncology Society Of Kenya,

(F). Step By Stones Association,

(G). Stroke Association Of Kenya and

(H). Suruvi Care For Caregivers.

Learn it: all around the clock acquire knowledge, proficiencies, and wisdom.

The turnpike to success is incessantly under construction.

Be fat: faithful, available, and teachable.

Dinosaurs became extinct because neither did they read nor did they study.

Live it: a task minus a vision equals drudgery; a vision minus a task equals a far-fetched pipedream and a task plus a vision equals masterpieces, successes, and victories mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. Walk the talk.

Loan it: addition by subtraction. Find thyself by losing thyself in the mental, physical, social, and spiritual facets of others. There is one who gives, there is one who offers; love vanquishes them all. Love heals, love cures.

 

Do not be so busy preparing and burying others that you forget to prepare and bury yourself.

Selah!

 

By Professor and Philosopher Daniel Masese.