Secondary Trauma

What is the world coming to? How can one person do such a thing to another person? Have you ever thought of such statements in your mind when hearing or reading about some criminal offense? Have you felt intense pain and the urge to help people stuck in a disaster? If yes, then this means one is said to undergo secondary trauma. One may hear of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) more often that a person experiences after going through a very painful event. Similar to PTSD, it is very less often discussed or heard about.

What is Secondary Trauma
When you have a look at its definition, it states that it is the negative changes that occurs in a person after they hear, see or witness suffering or needs of other people. This process tends to happen because a person cares about other people who are in pain or have been hurt. Those who develop this disorder feel committed or responsible for extending their help to those in need. This intense pain felt for others causes many physical, psychological and spiritual changes in the person.

It is often seen in people who are in the profession of helping others in need. This includes physicians, emergency medical workers, police officers, search and recuse team members, counselors, nurses, therapists, psychiatrists, etc. In this case, the disorder is termed as vicarious traumatization. These are people are often caught up with cases that are full of pain and trauma like burn victims, rape victims, sexual abuse victims, domestic abuse victims, drug addicts, or people who are struck by natural disasters. Common people too are affected by the graphic scenes, injury or death of someone close, plight of a country in need, for example, the people of Japan suffering from the aftermath of the tsunami and nuclear exposure risks.

Signs and Symptoms
People who suffer from this trauma are exposed to many painful images and events by those who seek help. This happens because one begins to empathize with other person's pain. It does not mean having empathy will lead to the condition. Each person is different, but when a single or many events together make one identify with the pain a person or people have endured, begins to take over one's life. There are certain signs and symptoms that indicate one is getting despair and pain of other's into their lives. These include:

• Feeling extreme anger
• Deep sadness
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem or loss of self-confidence
• Frequent headaches
• Problems making decisions
• Inclination to develop addictive behavior or substance addiction
• Change in eating habits, sleep patterns and behavior
• Problems concentrating or remembering things
• Withdrawing from people around

One begins to feel a sense of hopelessness, rage, detachment from others and life. The thoughts of others plight tends to give one nightmares and lead to a feeling of numbness or hyperarousal (feeling the danger at anytime). This stress disorder affecting professionals tends to interferes with their professional life. They begin to feel detached to their clients and begin to distance themselves emotionally from their clients. This is one of the major issue with psychiatrists. After hearing of the pain and loss, the trauma and the graphic details of the things their clients go through, affects the psychiatrists.

People like attorneys who work with victims of trauma, also tend to suffer from this tress disorder. They try to overextend help to their clients who come with the most heart wrenching stories of torture. This often occurs when one cannot balance their professional needs and feelings of sympathy. When one begins to experience emotional stress, they often begin to think of it as burnout. However, there is a difference between the two. Burnout occurs from being stressed at work and idealism; whereas secondary trauma is the result of deep empathy.

Why does It Occur
It is not always due to one moving story of trauma. It is often a cumulative effect of witnessing cruelty, violence, disaster, struggle, abuse, etc. Many people tend to find similarities between their lives and the suffering of others. Professionals who work with people in need, tend to get over involved in their work. They begin to take it as their responsibility to help those in need. It leads to unrealistic expectations from oneself and when one cannot achieve what they want, it leads to hopelessness and self burden. Thus, in the end it affects the psychological as well as spiritual well-being of a person. One begins to feel low self-confidence and self-worth. They begin to question the authority of God when faced with natural as well as man-made mass disasters. It develops many negative effects in one's mind and one begins to question hope and life.

Ways to Overcome It
The first step to overcome this tress disorder is by understanding one is suffering from it. Only then one can take steps to address the condition or vicarious traumatization. One should speak to a friend, family member or a person they can open up to. They can even seek help from therapists or opt for other treatment options to reduce the effects of stress. Start inculcating a hobby or take a break regularly to overcome the stress. If you feel you get depressed after reading or listening to news, avoid reading newspapers or watching news on TV. It is important to understand that one cannot reach out and help all who are in need. One needs to be a messiah to do so, and even Messiah's have a hard time when trying to take away pain and suffering from the world. This trauma if not treated can lead to depression, mental health disorders and strain your relationships with family, friends, etc. It will also have a great impact on your professional life. Thus, start thinking positively and talk about your feelings to someone close.

It is good to feel the pain of others and try to reach out to those in need. Yet, it is important to strike a balance when it comes to pain of others and your own needs. Empathy and sympathy should not take over your life.