May 03 2008
Preventing Secondary Traumatization
Are you a mental health profession who works with a lot of traumatized clients? Mental health professionals, such as psychologists, social workers, and therapists need to be aware of secondary traumatization as well as how to prevent it.
Secondary traumatization occurs after repeated exposure to another person’s traumatic stories or images. Symptoms of secondary trauma are similar to those of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), though individuals with secondary trauma tend to experience PTSD-like symptoms to a lesser degree than individuals who suffer with PTSD. Symptoms include hypervigilance, avoiding things that remind the individual of the traumatic event, flashbacks, nightmares, and exaggerated startle response.
In order to prevent developing secondary traumatization, it is a good idea for mental health professionals to have therapists or psychologists of their own. Having someone to talk to about your work stress as well as the feelings you experience related to hearing the traumatic experiences of your clients could relieve some of the anxiety and stress you feel. Likewise, writing in a journal about your feelings may help reduce the amount of stress you feel from listening to traumatic stories from your clients.
Another thing that may help you prevent secondary traumatization is taking care of yourself. Don’t overwork. Don’t go into work when you’re ill. Do things that make you feel good on a regular basis, such as taking bubble baths, treating yourself to a Starbucks drink, taking walks, or reading a great book.
Additionally, make time for exercise, and ensure that you have a life outside of work. Having a solid social support system is important in maintaining good mental health. Make time to go out to eat, see a movie, have coffee, go bowling, or whatever it is you like to do with your friends. If you have family, maintaining a healthy balance between work and home life may also reduce the likelihood that you develop secondary traumatization.
Finally, as was noted in yesterday’s post, a recent study showed working in a positive work environment helped reduce the risk of developing secondary traumatization for mental health workers who worked with disaster victims.
