Hey! I just got back from doing humanitarian work with refugees in Greece for a few months. While I was there, I was exposed to all kinds of people with different stories of trauma. In the moment I didnt feel it, but not that I am back, I am having a difficult time adjusting to life back here. I was feeling pretty sad and lethargic my first days back, but now after being with close friends and family I am feeling better. These individuals experienced horrible cases here are some examples:
-Yazidi refugee seeing community members being hung in public in Iraq
-Syrian teen alone in Greece with his aunt, father was killed when he was 7 and mother still in Syria
- children not suriving the boat ride of refuge from Turkey to Greece..
-and so much more!
What are some way I can cope better? I have been doing a lot of self-care and relaxation. Would appreciate some pointers. THANKS
Hi Farah, thanks so much for your post. I want to commend you for putting yourself forward and doing this incredible humanitarian work. It’s clear that you have a great deal of compassion. Your efforts positively impacted these people’s lives, even though you may not see it. Recognize that the work you did was meaningful to the people with whom you interacted. A strategy that may be helpful to you is to practice “self-compassion.” In the Book of Joy—a conversation between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama—they discuss shifting perspective, so that while we engage with others in pain, we don’t take on their suffering. In fact, our joy and compassion lift them up. Wishing you joy and self-compassion.
Thank you for sharing, Farah, and thank you for your humanitarian work. While I'm sure that your work in Greece was extremely rewarding, it sounds like it took a toll on you. As is the case with most humanitarian and social service work. It sounds like you may be experiencing some symptoms of Vicarious Trauma. Vicarious Trauma is much more common than people think.
I was able to find a good blurb regarding Vicarious Trauma in an APA abstract from a paper written by Laurie Anne Pearlman. - "those who voluntarily engage empathically with survivors to help them resolve the aftermath of psychological trauma open themselves to a deep personal transformation. This transformation includes personal growth, a deeper connection with both individuals and the human experience, and greater awareness of all aspects of life. The darker side of the transformation includes changes in the self that parallel those experienced by survivors themselves........vicarious traumatization is a process of change resulting from empathic engagement with trauma survivors. It can have an impact on the helper's sense of self, world view, spirituality, affect tolerance, interpersonal relationships, and imagery system of memory."
Some of the more common strategies for coping with Vicarious Trauma have to do with awareness of oneself, maintaining balance in the different aspects of your life and maintaining healthy connections - to oneself, other's and to something larger.
It is great that you are sharing your experience. In doing so you are already practicing self care and you are helping others who may be going through the same thing. In my own experience, talking about it has always helped. It helps my brain in it's attempts to make sense out of something that in a "normal world" would make no sense at all.
WOW! I appreciate all this so much, Judith and Michael. Did not expect so much love!! Soo grateful! Going to share it with some of my team members as well. xoxo
Farah I just wanted to say thank you for helping others the way you have. We often times forget the emotional toll it takes to help others. Giving your time, energy, and emotional attention with such heavy issues definitely isn’t easy. But it’s people like you that bring hope to those in the darkest of places. Bless you.