Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
empathy fatigue
English answer:
compassion fatigue (switching off and losing ability to empathise)
Added to glossary by
Yvonne Gallagher
Feb 13, 2018 15:39
6 yrs ago
16 viewers *
English term
empathy fatigue
English
Social Sciences
Psychology
Hi,
I was wondering about the meaning of “empathy fatigue” in the passage below.
I’ve also found this definition of “empathy fatigue”:
Emotional detachment brought about by prolonged exposure to emotional situations.
Is “empathy fatigue” to be interpreted as “depletion/exhaustion of empathy”, in the sense that a person temporarily loses his capacity for empathy? Or does “empathy fatigue” mean “personal - physical or emotional - exhaustion because of too much empathy”? Or maybe both?
Thank you very much in advance for your help!
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When we repeatedly sense others' pain and distress without acting to alleviate it, we can experience ** empathy fatigue ** and burnout. But studies show that taking action to address suffering leads to increased joy.
I was wondering about the meaning of “empathy fatigue” in the passage below.
I’ve also found this definition of “empathy fatigue”:
Emotional detachment brought about by prolonged exposure to emotional situations.
Is “empathy fatigue” to be interpreted as “depletion/exhaustion of empathy”, in the sense that a person temporarily loses his capacity for empathy? Or does “empathy fatigue” mean “personal - physical or emotional - exhaustion because of too much empathy”? Or maybe both?
Thank you very much in advance for your help!
**********************************
When we repeatedly sense others' pain and distress without acting to alleviate it, we can experience ** empathy fatigue ** and burnout. But studies show that taking action to address suffering leads to increased joy.
Change log
Feb 19, 2018 13:44: Yvonne Gallagher Created KOG entry
Responses
+3
3 hrs
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
&
English
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
65
Selected
compassion fatigue
I think it is more commonly known as compassion fatigue...after seeing so much suffering and hearing so many sad stories all the time (especially if working in the area or helping with refugees etc.) means that you may eventually just switch off and just lose your ability to empathise...appearing to be cold or hard hearted.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:07:44 GMT)
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here's an article about it
https://hbr.org/2016/01/the-limits-of-empathy
Problem #1: It’s exhausting.
Like heavy-duty cognitive tasks, such as keeping multiple pieces of information in mind at once or avoiding distractions in a busy environment, empathy depletes our mental resources. So jobs that require constant empathy can lead to “compassion fatigue,” an acute inability to empathize that’s driven by stress, and burnout, a more gradual and chronic version of this phenomenon....
People who work for charities and other nonprofits (think animal shelters) are similarly at risk. Voluntary turnover is exceedingly high, in part because of the empathically demanding nature of the work; low pay exacerbates the element of self-sacrifice. What’s more, society’s strict views of how nonprofits should operate mean they face a backlash when they act like businesses (for instance, investing in “overhead” to keep the organization running smoothly). They’re expected to thrive through selfless outpourings of compassion from workers...Problem #2: It’s zero-sum.
Empathy doesn’t just drain energy and cognitive resources—it also depletes itself. The more empathy I devote to my spouse, the less I have left for my mother; the more I give to my mother, the less I can give my son. Both our desire to be empathic and the effort it requires are in limited supply, whether we’re dealing with family and friends or customers and colleagues...
Problem #3: It can erode ethics.
Finally, empathy can cause lapses in ethical judgment. We saw some of that in the study about terrorists. In many cases, though, the problem stems not from aggression toward outsiders but, rather, from extreme loyalty toward insiders. In making a focused effort to see and feel things the way people who are close to us do, we may take on their interests as our own. This can make us more willing to overlook transgressions or even behave badly ourselves.
etc...
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Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:08:35 GMT)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue
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Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:09:39 GMT)
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https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/compassion fatigue
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Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:14:32 GMT)
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Haribert, yes I came to that conclusion instantly. Now I see Tony sees it the same way.
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Note added at 23 hrs (2018-02-14 14:52:45 GMT)
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your link says "some psychologists are starting to argue that the term should be changed to “empathy fatigue" but really, I believe the two expressions mean the same thing in effect. I for one have not seen "empathy fatigue" (15, 500 Ghits) very often but then "compassion fatigue" has 830,000 Ghits.
This is the definition by the person who coined the term "empathy fatigue". Rather touchy-feely, New Age "shamanic practices, references to native merican practices etc.)!
http://ct.counseling.org/2013/01/qa-empathy-fatigue/
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Note added at 23 hrs (2018-02-14 14:53:46 GMT)
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oops (native) American!
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Note added at 5 days (2018-02-19 13:41:59 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
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Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:07:44 GMT)
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here's an article about it
https://hbr.org/2016/01/the-limits-of-empathy
Problem #1: It’s exhausting.
Like heavy-duty cognitive tasks, such as keeping multiple pieces of information in mind at once or avoiding distractions in a busy environment, empathy depletes our mental resources. So jobs that require constant empathy can lead to “compassion fatigue,” an acute inability to empathize that’s driven by stress, and burnout, a more gradual and chronic version of this phenomenon....
People who work for charities and other nonprofits (think animal shelters) are similarly at risk. Voluntary turnover is exceedingly high, in part because of the empathically demanding nature of the work; low pay exacerbates the element of self-sacrifice. What’s more, society’s strict views of how nonprofits should operate mean they face a backlash when they act like businesses (for instance, investing in “overhead” to keep the organization running smoothly). They’re expected to thrive through selfless outpourings of compassion from workers...Problem #2: It’s zero-sum.
Empathy doesn’t just drain energy and cognitive resources—it also depletes itself. The more empathy I devote to my spouse, the less I have left for my mother; the more I give to my mother, the less I can give my son. Both our desire to be empathic and the effort it requires are in limited supply, whether we’re dealing with family and friends or customers and colleagues...
Problem #3: It can erode ethics.
Finally, empathy can cause lapses in ethical judgment. We saw some of that in the study about terrorists. In many cases, though, the problem stems not from aggression toward outsiders but, rather, from extreme loyalty toward insiders. In making a focused effort to see and feel things the way people who are close to us do, we may take on their interests as our own. This can make us more willing to overlook transgressions or even behave badly ourselves.
etc...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:08:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:09:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/compassion fatigue
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2018-02-13 19:14:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Haribert, yes I came to that conclusion instantly. Now I see Tony sees it the same way.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2018-02-14 14:52:45 GMT)
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your link says "some psychologists are starting to argue that the term should be changed to “empathy fatigue" but really, I believe the two expressions mean the same thing in effect. I for one have not seen "empathy fatigue" (15, 500 Ghits) very often but then "compassion fatigue" has 830,000 Ghits.
This is the definition by the person who coined the term "empathy fatigue". Rather touchy-feely, New Age "shamanic practices, references to native merican practices etc.)!
http://ct.counseling.org/2013/01/qa-empathy-fatigue/
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Note added at 23 hrs (2018-02-14 14:53:46 GMT)
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oops (native) American!
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Note added at 5 days (2018-02-19 13:41:59 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
Note from asker:
| Hi, Gallagy, thanks for your help! I've also thought that as a sort of "numbing" of your empathy towards other people... Have a nice evening |
| Thank you Gallagy for your useful links! there seems to be a tendency now to distinguish "empathy fatigue" from "compassion fatigue", but I think the concept of "fatigue" in the two expressions is the same... https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-neff/caregivers_b_1503545.html |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
magdadh
2 hrs
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|
Many thanks!
|
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| agree |
Robert Forstag
22 hrs
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|
Many thanks:-)
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| agree |
katsy
1 day 21 hrs
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|
Many thanks:-)
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you so much, Gallagy, for your help!
Many thanks also to all other contributors!
Have a nice week!"
1 hr
Mental/emotional fatigue caused by intuiting/sensing the emotional states of others
I think your second suggestion is more accurate - that one can feel depleted themselves from intuiting/sensing/feeling the emotional states of others.
If we became so fatigued by empathising that we couldn't do it anymore, we'd all be in serious trouble 😀
If we became so fatigued by empathising that we couldn't do it anymore, we'd all be in serious trouble 😀
Note from asker:
| Thank you Jessie, for your contribution! |
Reference comments
14 mins
Guilherme Silva
Brazil
Brazil
Specializes in field
Brazil
Cryptocurrencies and investments fields
Native in: Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English
Reference:
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much Guilherme! A very interesting article, really! From this article, it actually seems that both aspects are present: Empathy fatigue results from a state of psychological, emotional, mental, physical, spiritual and occupational exhaustion AND The cumulative effects of multiple client stories throughout the week may lead to a deterioration of our resiliency, coping and empathic abilities. |
Discussion
After a time, it's easy to just "switch off", because of course no-one can possibly help everyone! So the end result of all these emotionally-based appeals may be counter-productive, as some people may simply stop helping altogether.