Topic 7, DQ 2
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Grand Canyon University *
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680
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Medicine
Date
Apr 3, 2024
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Professor and class,
Engaging in peacekeeping and mission work holds just as much probability of resulting in trauma and compassion fatigue, mainly due to their likelihood of facing difficult situations. Experiencing trauma is able to manifest from secondary sources, such as visual stimuli like violence, death, or destruction. According to Cieslak et al. (2014) recent studies of mental health
providers barred contact with traumatized victims, either reported or exposure, has shown symptoms of secondary exposure or indirect exposure, resulting in compassion fatigue (para.1). Being part of peacekeepers and mission work does entail the possibility of being exposed to violence, especially since most teams are deployed during conflict, increasing the likelihood of exposure to trauma and fatal attacks. These experiences, though considered humanitarian work, can lead both to physical and emotional exhaustion, adding to the difficulty of dealing with catastrophe more stress rendering. Stressors likely experienced by peacekeepers and mission workers, as stated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2022), were sudden alterations to their environment, hesitancy regarding the mission, being separated from family, and unfavorable conditions with the climate (para.2). Like military personnel, peacekeepers and mission workers are exposed to trauma, whether by firsthand or secondary. Connorton et al. (2012) found 14% of Canadian military and peacekeeping veterans reported a mental disorder within the past year, with PTSD ranging from 3-16% (para.3). Compassion fatigue, also referred to as secondary posttraumatic stress or vicarious traumatization, is just as much of a threat to their mental health and most do not even see it coming. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2023) state to prevent compassion fatigue while fostering compassion satisfaction, focusing on the four components of resilience, such as prioritizing adequate sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, partaking in a regular exercise routine, and actively relaxing is an option for self-care. Developing positive relationships with the members of peacekeepers or mission workers to celebrate successful accomplishments or someone who can understand the emotions felt after a loss is another option. Finally, making sure to schedule time to relax, meditate, and rest is of upmost importance by taking breaks and time away from the catastrophe is also a starting point (para.8). Peacekeepers and mission workers treatment modalities concentrate a lot on self-care, as the GCU Statement of Integration of Faith and Work does, too. The Statement of Integration says that as Christians, we are to extend our works of God in vocational environments by “serving others in ways that produce human flourishing” (Grand Canyon University, n.d.), which in turn, is similar to self-care as we are striving to live a better life. Human flourishing is both the optimal continuing development of human beings’ potentials and living well as human being, which means being engaged in relationships and activities that are meaningful in a way that is satisfying for them. Self-care is finding the ability to care for self through awareness, self-
control, and self-reliance to achieve, maintain or promote health and well-being. To truly reach our potential as humans, we must remember that God has provided us with everything needed to
live a victorious life. Romans 12:2 states, “Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn
to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (NLT). References
Cieslak, R., Luszeczynska, A., Kotaro Shoji, A.D., and Benight, C.C. (2014). A meta-analysis of the relationship between job burnout and secondary traumatic stress among workers with indirect
exposure to trauma. Psychological Services, 11
(1), 75-86. doi: 10.1037/a0033798
Connorton, E., Perry, M.J., Hemenway, D., and Miller, M. (2012). Occupational trauma and mental illness: Combat, peacekeeping or relief work and the NCS-R. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,53
(12): 1360-1363. doi:
10.1097/JOM.0b013e318234e2ec
Grand Canyon University (n.d.). Integration of faith and work at Grand Canyon university. Phoenix. https://www.gcu.edu/Documents/Statement-IFLW.pdf
New Living Translation.
(1996). YouVersion. (Life.Church. 2008).
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2023). Compassion fatigue and self-care for crisis counselors. https://www.samsha.gov/dtac/ccp-toolkit/self-care-for-crisis-
counselors
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2022). Peacekeepers and traumatic stress. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/type/peacekeeprs_trauma.pdf
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