mental wellness: recent publications

emotionally drained over worrying if a particular friend or family member is okay and then trying to think of ways to help? This may be a sign you are going through compassion fatigue.It is natural to worry about the well-being of someone you care for. However, when you cannot focus on anything else and feel the need to constantly text or call that person to check in, it is best to take a step back.It can be easy to fixate on trying to help someone else through a tough time, but when their problems are always on your mind, this leads to compassion fatigue, and you will feel a sense of heaviness. The next time you find yourself feeling anxious about this other person’s pain and pondering what you can do to make their day better, consider these suggestions:

Take a few minutes to sit in silence and quiet your mind. By taking time to do a personal check in, you might realize you were functioning at a low frequency where you were full of stress.

Meditating can clear your head and even help you think of new ways to approach your friend’s situation without overextending yourself. You might also consider starting your day listening to positive music or cooking a healthy breakfast to take your mind off the need to solve a loved one’s struggles.On one hand, it is tempting to want to rescue someone in need, but obsessing over helping someone else is not productive for your own life.

To manage compassion fatigue, consider focusing on other aspects of your own life or finding new activities to diversify your time. Try not to overindulge in stressing over their situation or being a problem-solver for them. When you give yourself space away from your loved one’s pain, those emotions that accompany compassion fatigue will not overwhelm