This refers to the impact of being exposed to the trauma stories of others. It is also known as secondary trauma.

It is change resulting from empathetic engagement with others, where the person experiencing vicarious trauma is experiencing signs and symptoms of trauma-related stress, as a direct result of being exposed to the experiences of others.

Vicarious trauma can cause PTSD. Therefore it should be taken seriously. There are some simple steps in this section to manage exposure to distressing stories/information – this is always the first step in managing impact. In addition, we would recommend also following the ‘recovering from distress’ and ‘basic self–help’ guidance in the Recovery Hub.

Signs of vicarious trauma

Lingering anger, upset, sadness about another’s experience
Becoming overly emotionally involved with another person
Experiencing bystander guilt, shame, feelings of self-doubt
Over identification with person (relatability)
Pre-occupation with thoughts of person outside of work
Loss of hope & increased pessimism and cynicism
Distancing, numbing, detachment, cutting people off, staying busy. Avoiding listening to people’s traumatic stories
Difficulty maintaining professional boundaries (try and do more for the person than your work role defines).

Self-help for vicarious trauma

If watching footage – consider also lowering the audio playback level and decreasing colour intensity
(changing the viewing environment to reduce sensory load)
Take regular breaks
Make time to look and listen to positive, calming and pleasant images and audio.
Have simple easy 10min strategies that you can use to take a mental break during the day
(e.g. breathing exercises or mindful meditation; talking a walk outside)
Use peer-support to decompress from the impact of what you have seen/heard
Seek social support to enjoy time away from talking about or being exposed to distressing information
Self-awareness – watch for signs and symptoms and monitor these to help recognise how impacted you may be.