Increased Risk for the Workforce
- Identifying Risk
- Workforce
Some professions involve inherent, consistent exposure to traumatic events that can cause extreme burnout, vicarious trauma or secondary traumatic stress. High-trauma professionals, like law enforcement officers, child welfare workers and first responders, are vulnerable to negative health outcomes — they’re often too focused on helping others to seek the help they need themselves.
It’s crucial for professionals in these areas to be able to recognize the signs of trauma, in themselves and in their colleagues, as well as finding healthy ways to respond, cope and recover from these stressors.
Vicarious trauma happens when someone is in frequent contact with people experiencing trauma. As these professionals are hearing about trauma from the people they’re helping, they become witnesses to the pain, fear and terror that survivors have endured — ultimately leading to negative changes in their worldview.
Secondary Traumatic Stress is the result of being a witness to a traumatic event or series of them, which can lead to post-traumatic stress-like symptoms.
Compassion fatigue refers to the deep emotional and physical wearing down that takes place when helping professionals are unable to refuel and renew. Ignoring this feeling will eventually lead to burnout.
Burnout happens over time, and is the state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion due to excessive and prolonged stress. Burnout can lead to substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation and the loss of highly qualified professionals.
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Tools, information and support are available for people whose jobs are surrounded by trauma.
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You may not be able to reduce your exposure to trauma, but you can mitigate its most debilitating effects by being adequately prepared.