 Have you ever been so affected by hearing about a traumatic incident that happened to a co-worker, family member, friend, or patient? The changes that you notice are a consequence of how much you care about the people who have been through trauma. If that's the case, you might be suffering from something called vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma can happen to medical workers and others who spend a lot of time with trauma victims, torture victims, or materials that deal with trauma. Vicarious trauma, also called secondary trauma, happens to individuals who work closely with people who have been through trauma. It is a type of emotional and mental stress that, if not treated, can have major effects on mental health. Vicarious trauma can happen to anyone who is regularly exposed to traumatic stories or events. This includes healthcare workers, first responders, social workers, therapists, and journalists. The term, vicarious trauma, was coined in the 1980s by Perlman and Sokvitny, who defined it as, the profound emotional and psychological residue that accumulates after working with survivors of traumatic events. Since then, there has been an increasing awareness of the significance of addressing vicarious trauma in personal and professional life. Symptoms of vicarious trauma at work The signs of vicarious trauma can be different for each person, but there are some similar signs that can be seen in the workplace that can point to this condition. Emotional exhaustion. Working with people who have been through trauma can be mentally draining, which can make you feel burned out and less able to handle stress. Decreased empathy. Over time, hearing or living through painful stories or events can make it harder to care about other people. This can make it hard for people to give trauma survivors the amount of care and support they need. Difficulty focusing. Vicarious trauma can make it hard for people to focus on their work, which can lead to less work getting done and more stress. Increased irritability. People who experience vicarious trauma may become more irritable and sensitive to small stresses, which can make it hard to maintain good relationships with co-workers and clients. Vicarious traumas effects on an individual. Personal symptoms of vicarious trauma can impact an individual's mental health in addition to workplace symptoms. Intrusive thoughts. People who have been exposed to vicarious trauma may have thoughts or pictures that keep coming back to them about the trauma. Nightmares. Nightmares are a common sign of vicarious trauma and can be caused by a person's exposure to stressful events. Changes in personal relationships. Vicarious trauma can have a big effect on personal relationships because it can make it hard to connect with people who haven't been through trauma. Hypervigilance. Being hypervigilant is a state of heightened awareness that can be caused by trauma and can make it hard for people to relax and feel safe. Fortunately, there are interventions that can aid in dealing with the symptoms of vicarious trauma and prevent its long-term effects on mental health. There are two primary types of interventions. Organizational interventions and personal interventions. Organizational interventions, which are meant to help deal with vicarious trauma at work, can include the following. Support at work. Employers can give workers at risk of vicarious trauma access to counseling services, to briefing sessions, and support groups. This can give workers a secure place to talk about their emotions and experiences and assist them in creating stress management and burnout prevention strategies. Education and training. These tools can help staff members recognize the signs of vicarious trauma and come up with ways to deal with stress and avoid burnout. Training in self-care, stress management, and boundary-setting methods can be part of this. Workload management. By controlling workloads and ensuring that employees have the tools they need to do their jobs well, employers can help to avoid vicarious trauma. This might entail giving workers enough staff, funding, and assistance. Personalized interventions. Here are some examples of personal ways to deal with vicarious trauma at the level of the individual. Self-care. Self-care is an essential aspect of coping with vicarious trauma and can include activities such as exercise, meditation, and spending time with loved ones. Individuals must prioritize their physical and emotional health by participating in activities that promote relaxation and tension reduction. Peer support. It helps to deal with vicarious trauma if you have support from peers and coworkers who understand the unique challenges of working with trauma survivors. Support groups or debriefing sessions can be a safe place to talk about hard cases and work through feelings. If symptoms persist or worsen with time, it may be necessary to seek professional assistance. This may consist of psychotherapy, coaching, counseling, or other mental health services. It is essential to obtain assistance from a qualified professional with experience working with individuals who have endured vicarious trauma. The Workplace Mental Health Institute, or WMHI, an industry leader in mental health training for individuals and businesses, specializes in vicarious trauma training. Their vicarious trauma training provides participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools to avoid compassion fatigue and look after their own mental health and well-being when interacting with people who have experienced trauma. To recap, vicarious trauma is a form of emotional and psychological stress that can impact those who work closely with trauma survivors. It can cause symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, decreased empathy, difficulty concentrating, and increased irritability in the workplace. As well as personal symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, changes in personal relationships, and hypervigilance. Some ways to deal with vicarious trauma are through workplace support, education and training, work management, self-care, peer support, and professional health. People can protect their mental health while still providing important services if they know how to spot the signs of vicarious trauma and take steps to deal with it. Hi, I'm Emmy Golding, director of psychology for the Workplace Mental Health Institute. We hope you liked the video. If you did, make sure to give it a thumbs up. We have more and more videos being released each week. So when you subscribe, you'll get a notification letting you know when a new one's just been published. So make sure to hit that subscribe button and don't miss out on this vital information for yourself, your colleagues, and your loved ones.