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VicariousTrauma
Do you regularly witness, support or read aboutpeoplewhoaresufferingandexperiencingtrauma?Areyouahumanitarianworker,reporterorworkingtoservepeoplewhoaresuffering?Thenthisresourcesheetisforyou.
Traumaticeventsmayproducepowerfulemotions:fear,anger,disgust,shame.Strongemotionslikethesedon’tjustdissipateintothinairbutmaybesharedandtransferredwhereverencountered.Hearingaboutorseeingsomeoneelse’spaininstinctuallymakesusthinkofhowthatpainwouldaffectus,andmayeventuallybegintoshapeourinner-experience.
Workerswhoareregularlyexposedtootherpeople’straumaareatriskofvicarioustrauma;havingsimilarfeelingstothepersonorgroupyouareworkingwith.Vicarioustraumatizationdoesn’thappenovernightbutmaybuildupovertimeduetothenatureofyourwork.Recognizingthetoxicityoftraumaanditspotentialpsychosocialimpactisthestartingpointfordefendingyourselfagainstit,aswellasthepossibilityforgrowingthroughit(vicariousresilience).
Sectorssuchas:lawenforcement,fire-fighters,victimservices,andemergencymedicalservices,havebeenstrategicaboutaddressingvicarioustraumaforyears.However,ithasbeenlessrecognizedasanoccupationalhazardforfrontlinehumanitarianworkers,communication/appealsteams,andhuman-rightsdefenders.Fortheseworkerstothrive,weneedtobeaware,prevent,andmanagevicarioustrauma.WhatincreasestheriskofVicariousTrauma?
• Pastexperiencesoftraumaandtheextenttowhichthepersonormaterialyou’reworkingwithissimilartoyourowntrauma.
• Workingand/orlivinginisolation.• Historyoforcurrentmentalillnessorsubstanceabuse.• Lackofexperienceworkingwithtraumaticmaterial/stories.• Repetitiveworkontraumamaterialwithlittlevariation.• Alackofrecognitionbyyourselforyourorganisationaroundthenatureoftraumatic
material.• Atendencytodenyoravoidpersonalemotions.
[e][email protected][w]www.thrive-worldwide.org[t]@Thrive_WW
Tipsforindividualsworkingwithdifficultmaterialandstories
• Eatnutritiousmealsanddrinkenoughwater.Ifyoudon’tlikecookinganicemealforyourself,askotherstocomeoverandshareamealwithyou.
• Connectwithpeople-anddon’talwaystalkaboutwork.Manystudiesshowthatpositiverelationshipsarethe#1protectivefactorforoverallhealthandwellbeing.
• Rest.Restingisn’tonlytakingabreakfromanactivity,butalsorejuvenatingforwhat’scoming.Gettingawayandregainingasenseofprideandmeaninginyourimportantworkwillkeepyoumotivatedasyoureturntowork.
• Createconstraintsforworkingwithdifficultmaterialsuchas:limitingdurationofexposure,reducingscreensizeandvolume,workingwithapartnerorteam,labellingfilesandknowingwhatyouaregoingtoview.
• Exercise.Physicalexerciseincreasesgoodmoodandcanhaveasmuchimpactasmedicationwhenitcomestodepression.Moreover,physicalexerciseincreasesenergy,goodhealth,andanabilitytoresistnegativestress.
• Feelandacknowledgethedifficultemotionwhenit’stimetofeelit,andletitgowhenit’stimetoletitgo.Allowsyoutomaintainyoursenseofhumanconnectionandprotectsyoufromover-thinkingandaccumulatingdangerouslevelsoftrauma.
• Avoidunnecessaryexposuretotraumamaterialsoutsideofworkhorrorfilms,news/media,challengingconversations.
Author:BenPorterLastupdated:August2018