Understanding Secondary Trauma and How To Navigate It

Do you find yourself distracted thinking about tragic events? Maybe you read an article about people facing terrible conditions in another country and now they keep popping up on your newsfeed. Or you’ve continuously watched docuseries about murder victims. Or a colleague keeps sharing updates about someone they know facing a terminal illness.

Now you can’t get it off your mind. You feel sad. Disbelief. Even anger and outrage. You may feel tense or have trouble sleeping. You’re anxious and worried it could happen to you or someone you love. It may even change the way you view the world because you now feel fearful, cynical, or less trusting of others.

When this happens, you may be hard on yourself or confused. You may be wondering why you’re having such a strong reaction when you don’t personally know the people or aren’t directly involved in the situations.

There is a name for this response: secondary trauma. It’s a response to absorbing the suffering of others. Rather than experiencing a traumatic event firsthand, individuals take on the emotional weight of hearing traumatic stories, witnessing suffering, or supporting people through crisis. Although it’s primarily seen in healthcare professionals, therapists, first responders, and teachers, anyone can experience it. Due to today’s digital world, which gives us unlimited access to traumatic news, graphic images, and distressing content on social media, it’s easier for more people to experience secondary trauma.

There are ways to help yourself navigate this.

Three tips for navigating secondary trauma

Create boundaries

Setting boundaries can include limiting the amount of news you watch or redirecting the conversation if someone is talking about a difficult topic. This may feel counterintuitive because you feel a sense of responsibility to stay informed or be supportive. However, it’s okay and necessary to set boundaries. It’s a matter of creating a balance where you stay informed and show empathy while also recognizing your own needs and taking breaks when needed.

Prioritize self-care

Self-care is more than just pampering yourself (although that’s great, too!). It’s about recognizing your needs and taking a step back to give yourself the chance to rest and regroup. It’s true: we must take care of ourselves to take care of others. That includes basic self-care like making sure you’re getting enough sleep and eating three meals a day, as well as binge watching a show with a loved one.

Seek support

You may be thinking, “I don’t want to put this on someone else.” After all, that was the problem in the first place. In reality, we all need support, and simply sharing what’s on your mind can go a long way. When we hold our thoughts and feelings in, it will eventually come out (probably in an unproductive way) once enough little things pile up and there is nowhere else for them to go. Talking through what you’re feeling gives a place for these emotions to go and helps you feel more equipped when you hear about the next situation. If you don’t feel comfortable opening up to someone in your personal life, trauma therapy can be a great outlet. It’s a space to process the experiences and build skills to manage the feelings.

It’s easy to experience secondary trauma in today’s world, but that doesn’t mean it’s something you have to continue to carry. It’s great to be empathetic and support others, but we also must recognize our own needs. By understanding the signs of secondary trauma, creating boundaries, engaging in self-care and sharing with others, you can care for yourself while continuing to care for others. Trauma therapy can help if you’re having a hard time taking these steps.