Imagine our world as a giant neighbourhood where we hear about tough times happening to people. When we hear these stories over and over, even though we’re not going through it ourselves, it can still leave a mark on us, like an invisible weight. This is called vicarious trauma.
Think of it like this: if you spend a lot of time with someone sad, you might start to feel a little down yourself, even if nothing bad happened to you. Vicarious trauma is like that, but much stronger because the stories are about really difficult and painful experiences.
This can affect people in jobs where they constantly hear about others’ suffering, like doctors, firefighters, journalists who cover disasters, and social workers. It’s super important to understand how this works, what to look out for, and how to deal with it, so these helpers can stay healthy and keep doing their important work.
Theoretical Roots
Back in 1990, two smart people, Irene Lisa McCann and Laurie Anne Pearlman, really started talking about this. They were looking at therapists who worked with people who had gone through really tough things, like abuse. They realised that just listening and trying to understand these painful stories could change the therapists in deep ways. It wasn’t just regular work stress; it was something more profound. It could change how they saw themselves, other people, and the world in general.
McCann and Pearlman had this idea that when really bad things happen to someone, it can shake their whole foundation – how they see themselves and what they believe about life. They thought that when helpers listen to these stories again and again, their own basic beliefs about things like safety, trust, and control can also get shaken up. This deep emotional connection and repeated exposure to tough stories are what make vicarious trauma different from just being stressed at work or having your own feelings mixed up with a client’s. It has a real psychological impact on people who are trying to help.
Impact Of Vicarious Trauma
So, how does this “invisible weight” show up? It can affect you in many ways:
- Emotionally: You might feel sad all the time, get angry easily, feel guilty for no reason, or just feel numb. You might lose hope or become worried and scared. Sometimes, you might even start feeling the same things as the people you’re helping, like a social worker constantly dealing with child neglect might become overly anxious about their own kids’ safety.
- Physically: You might have trouble sleeping, feel tired all the time, get headaches, have a weaker immune system, or your appetite might change. Imagine a journalist who constantly reports on violent events suddenly suffering from constant headaches and not being able to sleep.
- Mentally: You might have upsetting images pop into your head or keep thinking about the difficult stories you’ve heard. You might start to see the world as a bad place and not trust anyone. It can be hard to concentrate, and your memory might get fuzzy. You might even start questioning your basic beliefs about what’s safe and what’s not. For example, a therapist who’s heard many stories of people being cruel to each other might start to doubt if people are generally good.
- Behaviorally: You might start avoiding people, get more easily irritated, have trouble setting boundaries with the people you’re helping, or have problems in your relationships. You might become more sensitive to violence in everyday life or turn to things like alcohol to cope. You might also lose interest in things you used to enjoy, or your work habits might change – you could be late a lot, not show up, or work too much. Think of a firefighter who’s been to many terrible accidents suddenly not wanting to hang out with friends and getting angry easily.
What Makes You Vulnerable To Vicarious Trauma?
Some things can make people more likely to experience vicarious trauma. If you’ve gone through tough times yourself in the past, you might be more sensitive. People who are very caring and can easily put themselves in others’ shoes might also be more at risk. If you don’t have healthy ways to deal with stress or you don’t understand your feelings, that can also make you more vulnerable. Even just how you usually handle your emotions can play a part.
The job itself also matters a lot. The more you’re exposed to really upsetting details and the more hours you spend directly helping people who’ve been through trauma, the higher the risk. If you don’t have good support at work or a boss who understands, that makes it harder, too. Things like office politics, not having enough resources, and a negative work environment can also add to the problem. Feeling alone in your work and not having proper training about trauma can also increase the risk.
Even bigger things, like how society views mental health, can play a role. If people feel ashamed to ask for help, they might not get the support they need. A workplace that doesn’t value different backgrounds and experiences can also create more stress. Sadly, even things like a client or coworker passing away can make someone more vulnerable. It’s a mix of who you are, what your job is like, and the world around you that can make vicarious trauma more likely.
Dealing with vicarious trauma is something you need to actively work on, both personally and as part of a team or organisation.
What you can do for yourself:
- Know yourself: Pay attention to how you react to tough stories and learn to spot the signs of vicarious trauma in yourself.
- Take care of yourself: Make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, exercise, and do things you enjoy outside of work.
- Set boundaries: Keep a clear line between your work life and your personal life.
- Get support: Talk to a supervisor, colleagues, or a therapist. It helps to have a safe space to talk about difficult cases.
- Practice mindfulness: Try things like meditation or yoga to help you relax and stay present.
- Have a life outside work: Make time for hobbies and creative activities that have nothing to do with your job.
- Be mindful of what you watch and read: Try not to constantly expose yourself to more upsetting content outside of work.
What organisations can do:
- Provide training: Teach staff about vicarious trauma, the signs, and how to cope.
- Offer support: Have regular supervision and peer support groups where people can talk.
- Create a supportive culture: Make it okay to talk about the emotional impact of the work and acknowledge that vicarious trauma is real.
- Manage workload: Make sure people have reasonable workloads and get breaks.
- Offer resources: Provide access to mental health services and employee assistance programs.
- Use trauma-informed practices: Understand how trauma affects everyone, both the people you’re helping and the staff.
- Rotate staff: If possible, try not to have the same people constantly working with the most traumatic cases.
- Show appreciation: Recognise the difficult work that staff do and value their dedication.
In the end, realising that vicarious trauma is real isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign that you’re human and that you care. By understanding it and taking steps to deal with it, both individually and as organisations. We can help people who help others stay well and continue to do their important work.
If you need help, please reach out to us by booking an appointment using our online calendar.
