
By Heather C. Forkey, MD, Elaine Schulte, MD, MPH, and Luanne Thorndyke, MD
Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the emotional duress caused by indirect exposure to distressing events experienced by others. Health care providers and caregivers are particularly susceptible to secondary stress due to regular exposure to difficult and painful clinical situations that evoke intrinsic empathy necessary to provide effective care. Understanding STS as a normal stress response not only helps to make sense of the symptoms but also suggests a way forward. Opportunities for those in health care to address STS can be found among our colleagues and in our own settings and may provide a meaningful source of support if accessed effectively.
Share This Post!
Adult ADHD and Childhood Trauma: Is there a link?
By Keri Wiginton If you’re an adult with ADHD, you’re among millions of other grownups who also live with it. Scientists know your genes play a major role in your chances [...]
Uvalde Shooter exhibited ‘almost every warning sign’ expert says
By Nadine El-Bawab The Texas House of Representatives committee report on the Robb Elementary School shooting revealed the accused school shooter exhibited many warning signs in the years, months and days leading [...]
Traumatic Bonding
By Kelly L. Burns, MA, LPC, ATR-P A traumatic bond occurs when you are involved in an abusive relationship, and the abuser becomes an essential part of your life. Abusive relationships [...]
Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska Takes On the Trauma Of War
By Simon Shuster/Kyiv lena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, got to bed late on the eve of the Russian invasion. Her kids were long asleep in the presidential residence south [...]
Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting
By The National Child Traumatic Stress Network The recent shooting has been an extremely frightening experience, and the days, weeks, and months following can be very stressful. Your children and family [...]
Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention?
By Melanie Warner Each time a high-profile mass shooting happens in America, a grieving and incredulous nation scrambles for answers. Who was this criminal and how could he (usually) have committed [...]