Facing a cancer diagnosis in the family is a life-altering experience, and when it’s your spouse who’s affected, the emotional weight can feel overwhelming. 

Navigating this journey can bring up a range of complex feelings, from fear and sadness to moments of guilt or helplessness. It’s even normal to feel alone when you have a spouse with cancer. These complex emotions are natural, yet they can be challenging to manage while you focus on supporting your spouse. In fact, some research suggests that the risk of suicide increases for spouses of a cancer patient. 

Understanding these feelings and learning how to cope with a cancer diagnosis can help you stay resilient and compassionate, both for your spouse and yourself, as you walk through this challenging chapter together. In this article, we’ll explore practical steps to help you process your emotions, find support, and foster strength along the way. Read on to learn what you can do if your spouse has cancer and you feel alone.

Recognize and Validate Your Feelings

When a partner is diagnosed with cancer, you might feel lost or daunted by the range of emotions that follow. It makes sense to be afraid or feel helpless. Being sad about the unfairness of cancer is something most people can relate to. If your spouse has cancer and you’re depressed, angry, or confused, you have every right to feel this way. 

While you might see yourself as a caregiver, you’re also a partner who’s processing deep, personal, profound emotions. Recognizing and validating your feelings about the fact that your spouse has cancer is not just important — it’s empowering. It allows you to work through and manage negative emotions in the healthiest ways possible. 

Learning the signs of emotional distress — like increased anxiety, difficulty sleeping, feeling detached from your partner, and thinking that your spouse’s cancer is killing you — is vital.  These emotions can often come in waves, making it essential to identify anxiety triggers that may intensify these feelings. There are definite signs that indicate you need additional support.

Common emotions spouses of cancer patients might experience:

• Fear: It is not uncommon to feel afraid of the future, the unknown, or your partner’s health. As you approach the medical treatment phase, you may feel a sense of unpredictability. Not knowing or having any guarantee about the outcome can amplify your fear further.  
• Helplessness: It makes perfect sense if you feel helpless as you watch your spouse endure cancer treatment, surgeries, or the side effects of medication. Even if you’re there and willing to do anything, you might still feel inadequate because you’re unable to relieve the suffering. 
• Sadness: Grief is often part of the cancer journey. You might be sad about the changes to your relationship after a diagnosis. Your lifestyle will likely change, and future plans might be drastically altered. All of this can lead to overwhelming sadness, especially if you’re trying to confront the possibility of losing your partner. 
• Guilt: Guilt can be a big part of the emotional fallout of a cancer diagnosis. You might worry or feel guilty that you’re not doing enough, or you may struggle with not feeling 100% focused on your partner 100% of the time. 
• Anger: Getting mad after a diagnosis is another common and expected response to a spouse having cancer. You might be angry at how unfair it is or even feel mad at your partner for being sick. Though these thoughts and feelings are very normal, it can be difficult to reconcile your emotions.  

Understand grief as a natural response

Grief isn’t limited to the loss of a loved one. It can also arise from a significant change or loss, such as a cancer diagnosis. When your spouse is diagnosed with cancer, you might grieve the life you envisioned together, changes to your daily routines, or even a sense of security about the future.

The five stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance — don’t always occur in a linear order. You might experience them individually or simultaneously, and it’s normal for these emotions to ebb and flow. Recognizing grief as part of your emotional response can help you better understand what you’re feeling and give yourself permission to process it.

Examples of how grief may manifest:

• Denial: Feeling as though the diagnosis isn’t real or believing it won’t change your life significantly.
• Anger: Resentment over how unfair the situation feels or anger directed at the illness, medical system, or even your spouse.
• Bargaining: Hoping for a specific outcome in exchange for a change in behavior or effort, such as promising to do everything perfectly to ensure recovery.
• Depression: Experiencing sadness, hopelessness, or detachment as the reality of the diagnosis sets in.
• Acceptance: Finding a way to move forward while living with the changes cancer brings to your life and relationship.

Recognizing these stages can empower you to name your feelings and approach them with self-compassion. It’s important to note that there’s no “right” way to grieve, and seeking support during this time — whether through friends, family, or a therapist — can help you navigate these emotions.

Understand the Impact of Your Spouse’s Diagnosis

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can cause a significant shift in a relationship — for both you and your spouse. There may be days when it feels like your entire world revolves around medical appointments, treatment options and plans, caregiving, and more. Cancer often leaves little — or no — time for any personal space. 

A cancer diagnosis can make you feel like your life has changed in profound ways, at least for now. Even if you hold hope and trust that this is a temporary chapter, it’s natural to experience feelings of isolation, anxiety, or sadness. You might also notice other emotions, such as guilt, anger, or even a sense of relief, that you now have clarity and can begin treatment.

“Oftentimes, the initial news that a partner has cancer brings about these feelings that we are the only ones going through something like this. When in actuality, the number of partners hearing this news about their partner is quite high. And, connecting with other people going through similar experiences is incredibly helpful.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

Embrace Vulnerability with Your Partner

One of the best ways to survive as you navigate a cancer diagnosis is by being open and vulnerable with your partner. You’re likely both experiencing pain, fear, sadness, and uncertainty. Sharing your feelings and expressing your love and appreciation for one another can foster a deeper emotional connection where you both feel understood, heard, and valued. 

Ways to embrace vulnerability:

• Share your fears: When your partner has cancer and you’re feeling depressed, angry, or anything else, be as upfront about your feelings as possible. Talk about what you fear about the future, discuss your anxiety about the treatment plan, or just share where you’re at emotionally. Open dialogue will reduce some of the burden that comes with keeping your emotions bottled up. 
• Acknowledge sadness: Try not to shy away from sorrow. Expressing that your spouse’s cancer makes you feel alone and sad can be cathartic. 
• Express love and appreciation: It’s essential to show how much you and your spouse love each other during challenging times like this. A little bit of gratitude can go a long way. Remind each other about the good in your life and try to focus on the positive—even when it feels impossible. Keeping a positive mindset will help you feel grounded in your relationship, which can distract you from focusing only on the illness.  

“I think we should allow regular outpourings of negative feelings, coupled with support and validation. We can even schedule these moments strategically if they don’t come out organically. But, I think it is important that we push for redirection into something more hopeful just as much, or even more than we vent negatively, as to make sure we are creating balance.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

Find Ways to Cope and Manage Your Emotions

Finding healthy, effective ways to cope with the emotional turmoil of having a spouse with cancer is essential. This can include:

• Getting regular exercise
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Practicing mindfulness or meditation
• Seeking support from friends and family
• Engaging in activities you enjoy

Even if your instinct is to throw yourself entirely into caring for a partner with cancer, you must prioritize your own mental, emotional, and physical health. Otherwise, you’ll quickly run out of energy and have little left to give. 

Seek professional support

If you’re feeling like the emotional toll of caregiving is too much to handle on your own, it’s OK to get professional help. Therapy can be a safe space to express your thoughts and fears freely without worrying about burdening your partner. 

Seeking support can be the lifeline you need, and a qualified therapist can help you navigate your feelings and offer coping tools and guidance to help you manage your stress and anxiety. Be sure to look for a mental health professional experienced in working with individuals or families facing significant medical diagnoses. 

Lean on your support network

A solid support network — of friends, caregivers, family, and/or a therapist — is invaluable. Lean on the people who care and want to help. Not only will they be able to offer you the necessary emotional support, but they can also offer practical and physical help. 

Don’t be ashamed or hesitant to ask your support system to run errands, shop for you, help around the house, assist with respite care for a few hours, or handle meals for your family from time to time. Small gestures of support, like talking to a friend or family member, can refresh your spirit and provide much-needed comfort when you’re at your lowest. 

Practice self-care, even in small ways

Practicing self-care is essential during times of unbearable stress, like when it feels like your spouse’s cancer is killing you. Doing something for yourself can be a game changer in your attitude and energy. Something as simple as taking a walk, doing a short meditation, or meeting a friend for coffee can be helpful. It’s the small moments of self-care that can often help the most. Stepping away to recharge and replenish your emotional reserves can make facing the next challenge or day so much easier. 

Create Healthy Boundaries for Yourself

Having healthy relationship boundaries in place is paramount when you’re facing something like a partner going through cancer treatment. You probably feel like you need to be there and fully available all of the time, but the truth is, that will lead to burnout.

“We need to be there for our partners, but we also need to protect our peace. Scheduling time away from home to spend time with friends, go to a yoga or exercise class, or connect with something greater than ourselves can help us cope with our circumstances. Connecting with other people that are going through similar experiences, like in a support group, also goes a long way.”

– Talkspace therapist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

Setting personal boundaries and limits on how much you can do every day is healthy. However, for it to work, you must also communicate your boundaries and concerns with your spouse and others. Putting boundaries in place will ensure you have the energy and endurance to support your partner without sacrificing your own mental and physical well-being. 

Stay Connected with Your Spouse

Maintaining a connection with your spouse beyond their illness can be tricky, but the relationship can’t become solely about their cancer. Yes, it’s part of your lives right now, but you don’t want to let it define everything about your partnership. When you keep the lines of communication open, your relationship will stay strong and you’ll both feel emotionally connected and supported, even during the painful and challenging moments. 

Look for ways to connect, like by:

• Doing things you enjoy together
• Spending quiet time together
• Talking about things unrelated to cancer
• Meeting with friends or having them over if your spouse isn’t feeling well enough to go out
• Having movie or game nights with the family
• Finding ways to laugh

Find Strength & Support Together

Facing cancer as a couple will likely be one of the most harrowing experiences of your relationship. It can also bring you closer if you have the right tools to help. Remember to find strength in your love, and don’t wait to seek professional help. Couples therapy can be an effective and healthy way to get expert guidance as you process this emotionally complex time in your relationship. 

Online therapy from Talkspace can be an excellent way to find the support you need, either individually or as a couple. Therapy can be a safe place to explore your feelings, openly communicate, learn to manage stress, and find other coping strategies to fall back on during the most demanding days, when your spouse’s cancer makes you feel alone. 

It’s not easy to navigate the intense and daunting emotional challenges of a partner’s cancer diagnosis, but help is available. With the right support, strategies, and mindset, you can learn to manage your emotions, find resilience, and strengthen your relationship.

Request a demo from Talkspace today to explore how online therapy can support you and your spouse through this journey.

What is Compassion Fatigue?

Compassion fatigue, also known as secondary trauma or vicarious trauma, is the state of physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion that occurs when you experience prolonged exposure to someone else’s suffering. It’s a common experience for family caregivers or anyone in a helping profession or position. It’s important to note that compassion fatigue is different from burnout in that fatigue is tied to the empathy and care you give people in distress, whereas burnout is generally linked to work-related stress and causes a gradual depletion of energy. 

Common compassion fatigue symptoms and signs include:

• Feeling hopeless
• Having a decreased ability to empathize (emotional numbness)
• Experiencing a sense of detachment from your surroundings 
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Physical symptoms, like headaches and gastrointestinal issues

“Compassion fatigue often manifests subtly over time, sometimes not allowing the individual to recognize the signs. Hence, it is important to observe if emotional exhaustion, anger or irritability, difficulty concentrating, and sleeping disturbances are frequently experienced.”

– Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, PhD, LCSW

What is Burnout?

Burnout is different from compassion fatigue. It stems from chronic workplace stress that isn’t sufficiently managed that can cause intense mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. Unlike temporary stress, burnout is a persistent condition that impacts everything from daily motivation to connecting and dealing with work responsibilities. 

Unfortunately, burnout is a widespread issue across all industries and professions, with caregiver burnout and nurse burnout being especially common. It can affect people who work in high-pressure environments as much as it does those tasked with mundane or routine jobs.

Recent research shows that most employees experience burnout at some point. In fact, an estimated 75% of U.S. employees “sometimes experience” burnout, and about 25% feel burned out either “very often” or “always.”

Common burnout symptoms and signs include:

• Severe physical and emotional exhaustion
• A growing sense of cynicism toward a job or responsibility 
• A noticeable decrease in on-the-job efficacy
• Feeling increasingly detached from responsibilities
• Reduced productivity
• Lack of accomplishment

Key Differences Between Compassion Fatigue and Burnout

When you understand the differences between compassion fatigue vs burnout, you can address each condition more effectively. Both are related to stress that can cause significant physical and emotional exhaustion, but it’s essential to know the distinct causes, symptoms, and pathways to recovery. Then, you can identify, address, and avoid both and foster a healthier professional and personal environment while improving your overall well-being.

Causes

Compassion fatigue and burnout causes differ in origin. Prolonged exposure to other people’s suffering contributes to compassion fatigue. Thus, it’s something people in caregiving professions — like health care, social workers, and mental health professionals — are more prone to. The constant need to care for others who are in distress can take an emotional toll over time. 

Burnout, on the other hand, is more closely related to chronic workplace stress, which can occur in any profession. It generally develops over time and results from overwhelming workloads, lack of autonomy or control, insufficient support, or intense pressure to perform. Learning how to prevent burnout in the workplace is crucial to maintaining long-term mental health.

Emotional impact

Compassion fatigue and burnout have different emotional impacts. When you experience compassion fatigue, it can be difficult to empathize, and you might feel emotional numbness or detached from people in need. You may experience guilt about not being able to care for others like you once did. 

Burnout, on the other hand, tends to cause cynicism and frustration toward your workplace or job. You might begin to have a negative attitude about work and feel unappreciated, undervalued, or even resentful. 

Behavioral symptoms

People with compassion fatigue often withdraw from social interactions or become less interested in things they once enjoyed. Some turn to unhealthy and unhelpful coping mechanisms, like substance use. Others may have a hypervigilant response that puts them in a constant state of alertness and makes it nearly impossible to relax. 

Behaviors associated with burnout can include procrastination, lack of productivity, and increased absenteeism. People who are burned out often exhibit decreased performance or productivity at work, seem more irritable, and have out-of-character conflicts with coworkers or colleagues. 

Physical symptoms

Both compassion fatigue and burnout have physical symptoms, but they manifest differently. The first tends to cause physical stress-related symptoms, like headaches, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, disrupted sleep, and chronic tiredness. 

Burnout is more likely to cause insomnia, heart palpitations, or a weakened immune system that can result in frequent illness. Some studies suggest burnout can lead to serious health issues and might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 21%. 

Recovery and prevention 

Recovering from or preventing compassion fatigue and burnout takes different strategies and coping tools. To adequately address compassion fatigue, you should practice self-care, find ways to emotionally replenish yourself, and work on setting protective boundaries. 

You can and should seek support from peers, supervisors, friends, and loved ones who lift you up in your time of need. Therapy can be a crucial part of surviving compassion fatigue. 

Most often, burnout recovery requires making definitive changes in the workplace. You should begin focusing on workload adjustments, finding support systems, and improving your work-life balance. To prevent burnout, you need more than just individual efforts. You must find ways to create sustainable, healthy work environments where you feel valued. 

“It is important to seek peer support and create a self-care plan tailored to your needs. This includes practicing self-care, mindfulness, and talking to a mental health professional.”

  – Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, PhD, LCSW

Take Action: Seeking Support and Resources

Recognizing and addressing compassion fatigue and burnout early is vital to overcoming either condition. Left unchecked, both can lead to long-term emotional, physical, and mental health struggles that are more difficult to manage. The following tips can help reduce symptoms and prevent things from escalating. 

Strategies that can help you deal with compassion fatigue and burnout:

• Prioritize self-care: Regularly practice self-care that promotes relaxation and a sense of joy. Exercise, hobbies, and spending time with loved ones can all help replenish your emotional and physical energy.
• Set and enforce boundaries: Learning the art of saying no and establishing boundaries between work and personal life can prevent or reduce work-related stress.
• Practice mindfulness: Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga are beneficial and proven to help manage stress levels, anxiety, and depression by offering a sense of calm.
• Find social support: Reach out to friends, family, or colleagues for support and advice. Sharing your experiences and struggles with people you trust can help alleviate feelings of isolation.
• Limit exposure when possible: Limiting exposure to the source of stress can be hugely beneficial. Look for areas where you can reduce your time in high-stress environments or take breaks between emotionally demanding jobs.
• Adjust your workload: Take time off if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Work-life balance is critical to preventing burnout and compassion fatigue.
• Engage in professional development: Furthering your education or pursuing training in stress management, resilience building, and coping strategies can be a lifeline that helps you endure stress.
• Find professional mental health support: Therapy can be a game-changer in managing compassion fatigue and burnout. A therapist can offer valuable insights and teach you coping strategies tailored to your needs. Therapy is a safe space to explore your feelings and process your experiences so you can get a personalized plan designed to help you deal with stress in healthy ways.

Nurturing Your Well-being in High-Stress Roles

Surviving compassion fatigue and burnout isn’t always easy, but it is possible when you have the right information and help. Recognizing the signs and taking deliberate steps to manage your stress will protect you. Remember that investing in yourself isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity that allows you to continue caring for others while protecting and nurturing your own health and well-being.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to seek professional support. Talkspace offers convenient online therapy that’s tailored to your unique needs. It’s the first step you’ll take towards better mental health. Licensed Talkspace therapists offer flexibility so you can fit therapy into your life when, where, and how you need it. Whether you’re seeking stress management guidance or long-term therapeutic support, Talkspace can connect you with essential resources. 

Contact Talkspace today to learn how online therapy can help you overcome compassion fatigue or burnout.

Military stress is caused by the incredible psychological strain and demands service members face during their time in the military. 

Stress in the military vastly differs from civilian stress, which typically stems from basic daily life challenges — like work, common relationship struggles, financial stress, and more. The stress faced by those in the military involves intense, daunting experiences — like being deployed, fighting in combat, being separated from loved ones, and needing to adapt to changing environments and roles in an instant. Factors like these create a high-pressure environment that can take a significant toll on the mental and emotional health of soldiers and military personnel. 

Research on how many service members experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in life varies. Some estimates suggest between 14% – 16% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans screen positive for PTSD, but other studies show the rate can be as high as 20% – 30%.   

Causes of Military Stress

Before you can learn how to deal with it, it’s important to look at the causes of stress in the military. As noted, the wide range of psychological and emotional challenges service members face is drastically different from the typical stressors civilians encounter in everyday life. 

Military stress is compounded by multiple unique factors, like deployment to combat zones, long separations from families, extreme exposure to high-risk situations, and difficulty transitioning back to civilian life after deployment or when their time in the military is up.

Understanding as much as possible about the causes of military stress makes it easier to find support and a solution.

Deployment and combat exposure

Deployment to conflict zones and combat exposure are obvious stressors for active duty members of the military. Working in a warzone requires constant vigilance — there’s fear of severe injury or death and witnessing traumatic events. Any one of these on their own could cause an acute stress reaction or PTSD, and members of the military often face a combination of several factors at once.

Combat is high-pressure and unpredictable. It requires split-second life-or-death decisions. The stress of that environment can cause moral and ethical dilemmas, and the psychological scars can be tough to heal.

Separation from family and loved ones

Many service members spend long times away from family and loved ones. Being disconnected like that can cause feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety in the military — and then there’s the uncertainty about safety and well-being, especially when deployed in a conflict zone.

High-risk and high-pressure environment

Military personnel often operate in high-risk environments where the stakes are incredibly dangerous. Whether conducting a time-sensitive mission or handling sophisticated weaponry, high-pressure situations demand physical and mental performance that can be stressful in multiple ways.

Remaining constantly aware of potential threats, like enemy attacks or explosives, causes a perpetual state of alertness, also known as hypervigilance. The relentless pressure can cause burnout, anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders.

Transition to civilian life

Transitioning to civilian life after a military career is often a challenging experience that can lead to post-deployment syndrome. While trying to integrate back into civilian society, many service members experience a loss of identity or purpose, or they struggle to find employment that matches their skills.

A common issue is trying to adjust to the highly structured nature of military life, which is often lacking in the civilian world. This can make days feel overwhelming and disorienting. Some service members also find the lack of camaraderie in civilian life isolating and depressing.

“For plenty of military members, the military is all that they’ve known — typically from an incredibly young age. So, transitioning into civilian life incorporates many unknowns. Change is scary, especially when we are talking about changing bigger ticket items like our friends, our sense of community, and understanding the differing rules and expectations of civilian work and school.”

– Talkspace psychiatrist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

The Effects of Military Stress Left Unaddressed 

When military stress goes unaddressed, it can have profound, far-reaching effects that seriously impact the lives of service members and their families.

Those who serve in the military face intense pressure and have experiences that most people can’t understand. When stress isn’t managed effectively, it can lead to a range of mental, physical, and interpersonal challenges.

Mental health issues

The most significant impact of military stress is the development of veteran and military mental health issues. Exposure to stressful environments like combat or high-risk situations can cause PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. 

Mental health issues can manifest through a variety of symptoms, including: 

• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Hypervigilance
• Avoidance behaviors
• Social withdrawal
• Hopelessness
• Anger
• Emotional numbness
• Increased risk of self-harm 
• Suicidal ideation or tendencies 

Physical health problems

Stress in the military can also impact physical health. Chronic stress is a known contributor to a range of physical ailments like cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal problems, and weakened immune function. Prolonged stress response in the body releases hormones — like cortisol — which can cause long-term damage.

The physical demands of the military can also lead to musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain, fatigue, and general deteriorated physical health.

Relationship strain

Military stress can strain personal relationships with family and loved ones. Families must cope with the emotional distance that’s so common for service members. The prevalence of PTSD and depression can make it challenging to connect with partners, children, friends, parents, or any other family members. 

Not only is the divorce rate higher for members of the military than any other group, research suggests veterans are less likely to marry and more likely to divorce after they’ve been deployed when compared to non-deployed members.  

“The military has high divorce rates because of how much strain is put on relationships. Typically, long distance is how relationships develop or become something that the relationship encounters throughout the military career. Long distance shifts the household weight from one partner to the military spouse, and when you combine unequal household weight with the inability to meet certain love languages — physical touch, quality time, or acts of service — the impact is pretty significant.”

– Talkspace psychiatrist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

Occupational difficulties

Many military service members experience occupational difficulties both during and after their service. For active duty personnel, the stress of their job can impair concentration, performance, productivity, and decision-making. High-stress levels can also potentially impact mission success and safety. 

Veterans transitioning back to civilian life might face the lingering impact of stress-related disorders that negatively affect their ability to get and hold down a job.

How to Cope with Military Stress

Although challenging, learning to cope with military stress is doable — and it’s critical for maintaining mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The stressors linked to military service are unique. Several practical strategies can help.  

Tips for coping with military stress:

• Practice mindfulness and meditation: Mindfulness practices can help service members stay grounded. Meditation is proven to reduce stress by focusing on the present moment. Techniques teach you to calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and enhance emotional regulation.
• Get active: Engaging in physical exercise is a powerful stress reliever since exercise releases endorphins that naturally fight stress. Working out improves mood, increases energy levels, and promotes overall health. Research shows it can reduce tension, anger, depression, and other mental conditions.  
• Seek social support: Building and maintaining a solid support network of friends, family, and other service members can provide emotional comfort and reduce feelings of isolation.
• Use the military support services available: Military personnel have access to support services like counseling, mental health programs, peer support groups, and individual therapy.  
• Get good sleep: Quality sleep is critical for physical and mental recovery, and establishing a consistent, healthy sleep schedule can mitigate the negative impact of stress.
• Learn and use effective coping techniques: Proven effective coping strategies like deep breathing exercises, journaling, and progressive muscle relaxation can help you manage stress and maintain emotional balance.
• Reduce or eliminate alcohol and substance use: It can be tempting to use alcohol or other substances to relieve stress and cope, but the reality is this won’t be effective in the long term. Drugs and alcohol can exacerbate stress and cause a host of other mental and physical issues.
• Set boundaries: Setting personal and professional boundaries can prevent burnout, and learning when and how to say no is crucial when managing stress.
• Practice gratitude: Research proves that gratitude is good for mental health. Keeping a gratitude journal or reflecting on positive experiences throughout your day can help you shift your focus from stress to having a positive outlook.
• Get professional help: If stress has become too overwhelming to deal with on your own, seeking help from a therapist is essential. Support from an experienced, licensed mental health professional means you can access tailored strategies and solutions specific to your needs.

Combating Stress with Professional Support

Getting professional support can be a vital resource when combating military stress. Therapy, combined with personal coping strategies, is a powerful way to overcome anxiety, depression, or any other stress-related condition so you can live life to the fullest.

Talkspace offers online therapy for veterans or active duty military that is convenient and affordable. We’re here to provide essential mental healthcare to support you on your journey to find balance and peace. Our therapists are skilled, experienced, and qualified to treat the types of stress, PTSD, anxiety, trauma, depression, and other conditions service members often experience. 

Reach out to Talkspace today to learn how you can get online therapy covered by TRICARE insurance.

Nurse burnout is a real (and growing) concern in the healthcare industry. Fueled by increased workloads, long hours, emotional demands, and systemic challenges, more than half (62%) of nurses say they’ve experienced burnout. This issue is also contributing to a growing nursing shortage as more healthcare workers leave the profession due to overwhelming stress and dissatisfaction. Addressing nurse burnout is critical not only for the well-being of nursing staff but also for maintaining patient safety.

Understanding this phenomenon means looking at its causes and symptoms and focusing on how to recover. Burnout impacts individual nurses and the entire healthcare system. It can lead to job dissatisfaction, increased nurse turnover rates, and, in severe cases, compromised patient care. Therefore, acknowledging and addressing the feelings of nurses is essential for creating a healthier work environment.

Whether you want to support a fellow nurse you know or you’re feeling burned out yourself, keep reading to get advice and tips on how to prevent nurse burnout and find support for nursing professionals.

What is Nurse Burnout?

Nurse burnout is the state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion nursing professionals feel as the result of prolonged exposure to a high-stress environment. Burnout can manifest as reduced passion, lack of energy, and a struggle to feel committed to work. It can make you feel detached from or cynical about your job and create a belief that you haven’t accomplished much professionally. 

If you’re experiencing nursing burnout, you might: 

• Start dreading your shifts 
• Begin feeling overwhelmed at the thought of even stepping into a hospital or care center
• Become increasingly detached from your patients 
• Feel a lack of compassion and empathy, even if these traits once came very naturally  
• See small tasks as insurmountable 
• No longer feel the joy of helping others

Understanding the Causes of Nurse Burnout

Learning more about the causes of nurse burnout can help you address it and create a healthier, happier, more productive work environment. Several common contributors, like having too many patients, working long hours, and dealing with the emotional strain of your job, should be aware of.

Especially since the beginning of the global pandemic, nurses and other healthcare professionals have faced extraordinary expectations and challenges in their field, which have led to ongoing moral injury and increased rates of burnout.

High patient loads

With fewer nurses available to share the workload, a significant factor in nursing burnout is the high patient-to-nurse ratio. Managing too many patients with varying degrees of need can lead to being overwhelmed and feeling like you can never catch up. Over time, providing quality care for every patient can become a struggle, leading to frustration and a sense of failure

Long working hours

Long shifts—often 12 hours or more—are another potential cause of nurse burnout. Nurses who work consecutive night shifts in a busy hospital might have difficulty sleeping between their shifts and never fully rest before returning to their next shift. 

As the cycle repeats, nurses become increasingly exhausted, which can damage their mental and physical health and well-being. Long working hours can make it virtually impossible for them to have the energy they need to perform their best and offer high-quality care for every patient. These conditions also contribute to the nursing shortage as more professionals seek alternative, less demanding careers.

Emotional strain

The nursing profession is incredibly taxing. Healthcare workers like nurses work in environments where they deal with trauma, death, and grieving families. Losing a patient can cause nurses to experience profound emotional pain,  especially when they begin to form close bonds with patients and families. Repeated exposure like this can result in feeling emotionally numb or detached, ultimately causing burnout and depression in nurses.  

”Continuously being exposed to patient trauma can worsen burnout by causing emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and a sense of helplessness. Healthcare professionals can become overwhelmed by the constant stress and emotional burden. This can lead to a decrease in empathy and reduced job satisfaction.”

– Talkspace therapist Bisma Anwar, LPC, LMHC

Identifying the Symptoms of Nurse Burnout

Recognizing nurse burnout symptoms is important for early intervention and complete recovery. Burnout can manifest in multiple ways and impact physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Nurse burnout symptoms can include:

• Chronic fatigue: Exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest is a hallmark symptom of burnout. It can lead to feeling physically and mentally drained, making it difficult to get through even one shift.
• Detachment or cynicism: When nurses experience burnout, they can feel detached from work, colleagues, and patients. They might lack empathy or suddenly develop a cynical attitude toward their job.
• Reduced performance: Another sign of nurse burnout is a noticeable decline in job performance, including making more mistakes or finding it challenging to stay on top of tasks. A feeling of incompetence or failure often accompanies this symptom.
• Emotional exhaustion: Burnout can cause emotional exhaustion from the demands of the job or feeling unable to cope with stress.
• Physical symptoms: Nurse burnout can manifest through physical symptoms — like headaches, gastrointestinal issues, or other illnesses — that are linked to prolonged stress response without a specific or identifiable cause.
• Sleep disturbances: Burnout can make falling or staying asleep difficult, perpetuating the cycle of exhaustion. 
• Increased depression or anxiety: Sometimes burnout can lead to more severe mental health conditions like nurse anxiety or depression.  

Strategies for Recovering from Burnout as a Nurse

It’s possible to recover from burnout, but it usually requires a multifaceted approach that addresses the physical and emotional toll. Strategies that can help include prioritizing self-care, seeking professional help, setting boundaries, and more.

Prioritize self-care

Self-care is essential when you work in a high-stress profession like nursing. Yet it’s often neglected when nurses are so focused on caring for others that they have limited time for anything else.  

Acts of self-care for nurses can include:

• Regular exercise
• Balanced nutrition
• Reading 
• Journaling 
• Relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga
• Getting enough sleep
• Spending time with friends outside of work

Seek professional support

It can be difficult to overcome burnout on your own, so seeking professional support can be a critical step in the recovery process. Talking to a therapist and sharing your experiences can help you identify sources of stress that are contributing to burnout and find effective coping mechanisms.

Set boundaries

Boundaries are vital for protecting your time and energy so you can avoid burnout. Having healthy boundaries in place helps you create emotional limits, like learning not to bring work home with you. Setting boundaries might mean saying no to extra shifts or talking to a supervisor about cutting back on your patient load or responsibilities. 

Take regular breaks

Long-term recovery from burnout can only be achieved once you figure out how to balance your job’s demands—taking regular breaks can be a big part of this. 

Even short breaks are effective in helping you recharge so you can focus on your job. Try stepping away for a few minutes to stretch or do deep breathing exercises. Simple acts like these can make a huge difference in how you feel at the end of your shift.  

”Nurses can incorporate mindfulness and stress-reduction techniques into their daily routine by practicing deep breathing exercises, taking short meditation breaks, and engaging in mindful walking or stretching. They should set aside time for self-care activities, such as yoga or listening to calming music. They can also use grounding techniques during stressful moments and practice gratitude to maintain a positive outlook.”

– Talkspace therapist Bisma Anwar, LPC, LMHC

Lean on your support network

Strong support — from families, friends, colleagues, or a support group — can be an excellent way to recover from burnout. Having a positive support network where you can share your experiences in a safe space is much more effective than trying to cope alone.  

Focus on work-life balance

Maintaining a healthy balance between work and your personal life is crucial for overcoming burnout. Work-life balance helps restore energy by setting aside time for the things you love — hobbies, social events, or simply relaxing can all help you become more resilient at work.

Delegate and collaborate

Whenever possible, try to delegate and collaborate. Handing off tasks or working with a colleague can help ease the burden of your workload and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed so you don’t get burned out. 

For example, if you have multiple patients with complex needs, asking for help or delegating a nonessential task to support staff might be necessary. When you’re in a healthcare setting, you’re part of a team where everyone can share responsibilities and support each other. A collaborative approach can reduce individual stress and enhance patient care.

Limit exposure to stressors

Although it seems easier said than done, identifying and limiting your exposure to specific stressors will help you manage burnout. This might require changing some work habits — like avoiding or limiting additional shifts you take on.  

Overcoming Burnout with Support

Even if it feels impossible, overcoming burnout can be done. Finding emotional and physical help through personal connections and professional networks can be your lifeline. Above all, remember that you’re not alone in your struggles.

Seeking professional help like therapy and counseling may be instrumental in managing and healing from nurse burnout. Talkspace offers flexible online therapy options as a convenient and confidential way for nurses with busy schedules to get help. If you’re dealing with burnout, stress, or other mental health concerns, Talkspace has experienced and qualified mental health professionals who are there for you.

Reach out to Talkspace today to learn more about how online therapy can help you manage and overcome burnout.