6.1 What is vicarious (or secondary) trauma?
In the context of humanitarian work, vicarious trauma (also called secondary trauma) is a series of negative effects or changes in people who are exposed to other people’s suffering or distress for a prolonged period of time.
Workers in direct contact with vulnerable people can become vulnerable themselves from feeling an overwhelming sense of empathy and shared pain (Bride, 2012). In other words, they may identify with and feel their pain and suffering as if it were their own.
Watch this brief video of Dr Laurie-Anne Pearlman, a psychologist, explain what vicarious trauma is, the signs to look for in people who are affected by it and, if not addressed, how it can negatively impact their lives.
Activity 6: Vicarious trauma
In the video, what are some of the signs of vicarious trauma that Dr Pearlman talks about?
Answer
Dr Pearlman talks about how people experiencing vicarious trauma may show signs of social isolation, withdrawal and ‘spiritual disruption’. They may feel hopeless or lose their sense of purpose or meaning in their work or even their personal life.
Over time, feelings of inadequacy or inability to change the sufferer’s situation, coupled with a strong sense of responsibility for them, may set in and these are often symptoms of vicarious trauma.
Dr Pearlman mentions how people who experience vicarious trauma often start to socially isolate themselves and withdraw from situations, whether at work and/or in their personal life.
Also, she refers to a ‘spiritual disruption’ in their wellbeing. This can be described as losing a sense of connection with the wider beliefs in which we are grounded (Pearlman and McKay, 2008). She gives examples of questions that people may ask themselves:
- ‘Where is God?’
- ‘Does my work have any meaning?’
- ‘What’s the point of this whole thing?’
6 Mental health risks when working with traumatised people