What Is Vicarious Trauma? Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment
It’s natural to feel empathy toward those who are experiencing traumatic events or have experienced pain or trauma. However, those with prolonged exposure to the pain or trauma of others consistently—like at work, for example—may end up feeling drained of empathy after facing these situations, a symptom of their own secondhand or vicarious trauma. This experience can be debilitating, and those who find themselves in this position can benefit from treatment.
The definition of vicarious trauma
Vicarious trauma, sometimes called secondary traumatic stress, occurs when a person is exposed or has continuous exposure to the trauma of another indirectly, usually through hearing or seeing a firsthand account of it. As a result, the person’s world view may shift and they may experience mental health symptoms that can negatively impact their life and their work. Vicarious trauma is not the same as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which typically applies to those who experience trauma firsthand, but it may have similar symptoms.
People in certain professions are more at risk of experiencing vicarious trauma. Some examples include:
- Nurses
- Therapists
- Paramedics
- Social workers
- Law enforcement
- Journalists
A person can experience vicarious traumatization after working in their field for years or decades, or after a particularly difficult experience or two. It can affect people in different amounts and in different ways.
Signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma
The susceptibility of caregivers to vicarious trauma is often referred to as “the cost of caring” because of its pervasiveness among people in certain professions. If you or someone you love works with trauma survivors, it’s important to know and watch for the common signs of vicarious trauma, since it can negatively impact the health and life of the person experiencing it. It can also impact the quality of care that people in these fields are able to provide. Common symptoms may include:
- Feelings of cynicism and hopelessness
- Inability to focus
- Social withdrawal
- Difficulty managing emotions or emotional numbness
- Loss of work-related motivation
- Sleep problems
- Excessive worrying about potential dangers
- Feeling overextended or full of self-doubt
- Irritability or anger
- Relationships problems
- Developing destructive or unhealthy coping strategies
Finally, some people may be more at risk for experiencing vicarious trauma than others, according to the Office for Victims of Crime. This may include those who haven’t received quality training for assisting trauma survivors, who have traumatic experiences in their own past, who support suffering trauma survivors constantly with little to no variation in their work, and/or who lack healthy coping skills or social support.
Reducing the risk of experiencing vicarious trauma
Note that if you sense that you, family members, or a coworker may already be experiencing vicarious trauma, there is help available. Speaking with a counselor or therapist is typically a recommended first step.
To lower the risk of experiencing vicarious trauma, there are several strategies that people in at-risk fields can put into regular practice.
Build a strong social support network
There’s a robust body of research that supports the correlation between strong social support networks and positive health outcomes. These include lower risk of anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline, and even lower risks of physical conditions like a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and others. To put it simply, a strong social support system can have positive effects on a person’s mental health, and this is especially true for those who do emotionally difficult work. Having people you can rely on, speak to, and get support from can reduce your risk of experiencing vicarious trauma.
Practice mindfulness
The basis of mindfulness is cultivating a nonjudgmental awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings. Research shows that building this skill through practice over time can have a variety of positive effects. One study in particular found that mindfulness may help prevent vicarious or “secondary” trauma. Once you learn how to tune into present awareness through whatever mindfulness technique works for you, you may be able to practice it while navigating stressful situations throughout your workday to keep yourself emotionally grounded.
Take breaks and time off
Getting proper rest, practicing self care, and cultivating a healthy work-life balance is essential for avoiding the experience of vicarious trauma. Taking breaks throughout the day is important, as is having variety in your day-to-day tasks at work so that you’re not engaged in face-to-face contact with trauma survivors or traumatic material every minute of every day. It’s also helpful to take time off regularly and use the opportunity to get involved with outside interests and enjoyable, non-work activities. Taking vacations, spending time with people who don’t work in your field, participating in self care activities, or getting involved in hobbies, social groups, sports leagues, art activities, or whatever else you may enjoy can help you create proper space between your job and your personal life. This type of healthy boundary can help you reduce the risk of being affected by or experiencing vicarious trauma.
Try therapy
Whether you feel you’re already experiencing vicarious trauma or are trying to reduce your risk, connecting with a trained counselor or therapist can be a valuable tool. They can work with you to process any trauma or secondhand trauma you’ve already experienced, help you gain perspective on your work, and assist you in identifying coping mechanisms that may defend your mental and emotional health.
For those who have a busy schedule or simply prefer the comfort of seeking treatment from home, virtual therapy is becoming an increasingly popular option. Research suggests that it offers similar benefits to in-person sessions, which makes it a practical and effective method of treatment for people who may be facing any of a wide range of challenges, including prior traumatic experiences. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can speak with via phone or video call. Whether you prefer to meet digitally or in person, a trained therapist can offer you the support you need and deserve.
Ask for support at work
A 2020 study about medical personnel in COVID-19 units and the emotional toll their work can take on them points out that it falls to organizations to provide adequate training to help employees avoid vicarious trauma and related experiences. Training, supervision, and managerial check-ins may all be important factors. If you feel that your workplace does not take enough responsibility or offer adequate support, it may be worth voicing your concerns to management.
Takeaway
Those who are regularly exposed to trauma survivors and their stories at work may be at risk for experiencing vicarious trauma. The strategies on this list can help people in these fields take care of their mental and emotional health and avoid vicarious trauma as they do their valuable and important work. If you have questions or would like to receive support for processing trauma that you've witnessed or experience, reach out to a professional counselor at BetterHelp.
What are some examples of vicarious trauma?
Vicarious trauma most commonly affects professionals or volunteers with prolonged exposure to the pain experienced by trauma survivors. The effects can involve shifts in a person’s beliefs, feelings, and habits of thought, which can sometimes prompt behavioral changes as well.
The following hypothetical situations can all be examples of vicarious trauma:
- A first responder who frequently observes death and serious injuries begins to have frequent, unwanted thoughts about what they’ve seen. Sometimes they are troubled by persistent mental images of human bodies affected by accidents or violence.
- A volunteer working with survivors of sexual violence becomes obsessively concerned about the safety of their friends and family members. They fixate on thoughts of possible dangers, having a hard time letting go of their worries.
- A social worker who helps abused children starts to feel distracted and emotionally numb after hearing many distressing stories.
- A healthcare worker who frequently encounters patients in severe pain starts to have trouble sleeping and undergo intense mood swings. In an attempt to self-medicate, they begin using alcohol much more frequently.
- A counselor working with cases of partner abuse starts to question whether any potential romantic partners can be trusted. This leads to relationship problems and a sense of profound cynicism.
The situations described above are not an exhaustive list of the possible causes and symptoms of vicarious trauma. However, all of them display some of the characteristic features of this condition.
What are some signs of vicarious trauma?
Potential warning signs of vicarious trauma can include:
- Lack of motivation, interest, or engagement at work
- Reluctance to discuss traumatic material with clients, even when this is necessary for care
- Loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities
- Social isolation
- Shifts in a person’s worldview, such as increased cynicism or pessimism
- Disengagement from spiritual beliefs or practices (in someone who was strongly religious previously)
- Becoming easily distracted
- Withdrawal from physical or emotional intimacy
- Unproductive or unhealthy coping strategies, such as gambling, impulsive shopping, poor eating habits, or excessive substance use. (Note: the term “substance abuse” is no longer considered diagnostically relevant, but the kinds of behaviors many people associate with this term can be indicators of vicarious trauma.)
- Irritability or mood swings
- Diminished emotional intensity
- Disruptions to sleep cycle
What is the difference between vicarious trauma and secondary trauma?
Many researchers and health officials use the terms “vicarious trauma” and “secondary trauma” interchangeably to describe the effects of exposure to clients affected by traumatic experiences. However, some draw a distinction between vicarious traumatization and secondary traumatic stress (STS). There are two key differences between these terms:
- Secondary traumatic stress may arise after a single exposure to another person’s recounting of traumatic events. In contrast, vicarious trauma occurs over time, as repeated encounters with trauma survivors take a cumulative toll on an individual’s mental well-being.
- Vicarious trauma may be more commonly used to describe changes to a person’s thoughts, beliefs, and worldview. STS is often reserved for cases in which the individual displays symptoms similar to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as panic attacks, nightmares, or flashbacks.
How do therapists deal with vicarious trauma?
Therapists and other mental health professionals may use a variety of strategies to manage the effects of vicarious trauma, such as maintaining a healthy work-life balance and seeking emotional support from friends and family members. Taking time for leisure and relaxation may be a crucial coping mechanism. Therapists also often engage in self-care activities such as:
- Physical exercise
- Eating healthy, nutritious meals
- Practicing yoga or meditation
- Spending time in natural settings
- Listening to soothing music
- Reading for pleasure
- Engaging in creative hobbies
Some research suggests that maintaining a reasonable caseload may be especially important. A therapist’s level of exposure to client trauma seems to be one of the most significant risk factors for vicarious traumatization. Therapists may be able to safeguard their mental health by making sure they’re not solely working with cases of severe trauma.
Many researchers have also highlighted the importance of a healthy workplace culture and strong support from employers. When therapists receive adequate training on managing trauma, attentive supervision, and robust social support from their peers, they may be less vulnerable to the negative effects of secondary trauma.
What is vicarious trauma also known as?
Vicarious trauma is commonly called “compassion fatigue”, a term meant to emphasize how emotionally difficult it can be to repeatedly care for other people who are in severe psychological pain.
Some people may also refer to vicarious trauma as “secondhand trauma” or “secondary trauma”, though others consider secondary traumatic stress a different condition. “Burnout” is also sometimes used as a synonym, though this term may be more appropriate as a general descriptor for the effects of work-related stress.
What is another word for vicarious trauma?
The terms mentioned above (compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, secondhand trauma, and burnout) are sometimes used as alternative words for vicarious trauma. However, they may not be completely accurate substitutes since as we discussed, they can refer to similar but not identical experiences.
Some sources may use the term “vicarious traumatization” as a synonym for vicarious trauma.
Which is the best example of vicarious experience?
Having a vicarious experience means feeling as though something happening to another person is happening to you, often due to a high level of emotional engagement. A familiar example might be watching a movie character’s family member die then feeling for a moment as though you yourself had lost a loved one. This can happen because you’ve come to empathize strongly with the character.
Empathy is often considered an important part of a therapist’s job because they must help clients articulate, clarify, and process their feelings. The need to repeatedly empathize with individuals in distress can leave mental health professionals vulnerable to the psychological effects of the client’s traumatic experiences.
What is true about vicarious trauma?
There’s an ongoing debate in the field of psychology about the clinical usefulness of the concept of vicarious trauma. However, researchers have repeatedly confirmed that providing care for trauma survivors can lead to significant mental distress. Several notable risk factors have been identified, including:
- Absence of social support
- Prior traumatic experiences
- Lack of experience, training, or supervision
- Repeated, prolonged exposure to trauma that’s not balanced by other types of work
- Personality factors such as discomfort with discussing feelings or a tendency to withdraw or deflect in stressful situations
Is vicarious trauma a mental illness?
Vicarious trauma is currently regarded as a type of occupational hazard rather than a distinct mental illness. That said, it may sometimes play a role in the development of mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What are the ABCs of vicarious trauma?
Those who work with trauma survivors may find it useful to think about “The ABCs of Addressing Vicarious Trauma”. This three-part approach is adapted from an older framework called the ABCs of self-care. The three components are:
- Awareness. Paying attention to your own mental state, workload, and energy level can help you notice the signs that you may be developing vicarious traumatization. It can also be helpful to assess your strengths and weaknesses and the limits of what you’re emotionally able to handle.
- Balance. Maintaining a healthy balance between your personal and professional lives can help you stay mentally healthy. You may also want to ensure that you have a balanced workload that’s divided between severe trauma cases and less emotionally draining tasks.
- Connection. Feeling connected to others, including colleagues, friends, and family members, can be vital for maintaining a sense of well-being. Contact with other people may help you recharge when you feel depleted. Many people also find it important to nurture a sense of connection with something larger than themselves, such as a community, a personal ideal, an organizational mission, or a spiritual power they find meaningful.
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