Compassion Fatigue: How To Take Care of Yourself While Taking Care of Everyone Else

Most likely everyone in your life knows you’re a natural caregiver. Maybe you do it professionally for several patients. Maybe you take care of your aging parents. Or, maybe you’ve just taken care of everyone in your family for years, so everyone expects it. Most people who take care of everyone else are naturally empathetic. However, after weeks, months, or even years of taking care of everyone (and everything), it can start to take its toll.

It’s not uncommon for caregivers to experience burnout. That can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. But, compassion fatigue is different from burnout and can be far more serious.