TIRCIA · General public
Vicarious trauma: when other people’s suffering reaches us
Health professionals, carers, family and friends: understanding the strain that comes from listening to suffering, and how to protect yourself
By Marie-Agnès Thulliez · Author · Publishing Director6-minute read
Listening every day to accounts of violence, accidents or bereavement leaves its mark. Over time, other people’s suffering can seep into our thoughts, our sleep and the way we see the world. This is what we call vicarious trauma.
It affects health professionals, psychologists, social workers, emergency responders and teachers, as well as the family and friends who support someone who has been traumatised. Recognising it is already a way of protecting yourself.
What are we talking about?
Vicarious trauma refers to the gradual transformation in how we see ourselves, others and the world that can occur in people who listen to and support traumatised people: we did not live through the event, nor did we witness it, yet we have “carried” the story. The term was proposed by the psychologists McCann and Pearlman (McCann and Pearlman, 1990). It is a natural and common reaction to supporting traumatised people over a long period (Gusman and Swales, n.d.).
It is often confused with other, closely related notions (NCTSN, 2011):
| Notion | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| Secondary traumatic stress | Reactions similar to post-traumatic stress (recurring images, avoidance, tension) that appear after hearing the account of a trauma experienced by someone else, sometimes after a single striking account |
| Vicarious trauma | A gradual transformation in how one sees the world, oneself and others, through repeatedly hearing traumatic accounts |
| Compassion fatigue | A term popularised by Charles Figley, less stigmatising, to describe secondary traumatic stress; the two expressions are often used interchangeably |
| Burnout | Emotional exhaustion, a growing distance (or even cynicism) towards the people being supported and a reduced sense of effectiveness, linked to working conditions, with no specific connection to trauma |
These forms of distress are common in professions with high exposure. For example, a meta-analysis of emergency nurses estimates that around 65% of them show signs of secondary traumatic stress, with wide variation between countries (around 53% in European studies) (Xu et al., 2024).
Signs to look out for
The signs resemble those of trauma, but they often appear gradually:
- recurring images: thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks linked to the accounts you have heard;
- avoidance or numbing: dreading certain appointments, feeling detached, no longer feeling anything;
- constant tension: irritability, disturbed sleep, being easily startled, fatigue;
- a darkening view of the world: feeling less safe, trusting less, losing a sense of meaning in your work, feeling powerless;
- compensatory behaviours: alcohol, screens, withdrawal, risk-taking.
The risk is higher when you support many traumatised people, when you have yourself lived through similar events, or when supervision and support are lacking.
How to protect yourself
Protection rests both on yourself and on how work is organised.
On a personal level:
- Know your limits and recognise your own warning signs.
- Keep a balance between work and personal life, with moments of real switching off.
- Stay connected with the people close to you and with what gives your life meaning.
- Limit unnecessary exposure to violent images, including in the media.
- Look after your body: sleep, movement, breathing. Heart coherence breathing is a simple tool for letting the pressure ease after a difficult day.
- Talk to colleagues, and ask for help when the signs persist.
On the organisation’s side:
- a reasonable workload, with a limit on the number of traumatic situations;
- regular supervision or reflective practice groups;
- time for peer exchange;
- recognition of how demanding this work is.
For family and friends who provide support
Supporting a partner, a child or a parent who has been traumatised also exposes you to this strain. You have every right to feel tired, angry or discouraged. Taking care of yourself is what allows you to keep helping them. To better understand what they are going through, you can read What is trauma?.
When to seek help
If the signs last for more than a few weeks, or if they are affecting your sleep, your health or your relationships, talk to your doctor, a psychologist or a psychotherapist. It can be treated. Research on vicarious trauma itself is still recent, but approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness appear to help (NCTSN, 2011). And if the symptoms resemble genuine post-traumatic stress, the treatments validated for it, such as EMDR or trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, are indicated.
Need help now?
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact a crisis line: 988 (US/Canada), Samaritans 116 123 (UK and Ireland), or find a local helpline at findahelpline.com. In France: 3114.
If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number (999 in the UK, 911 in North America, 112 in the EU).
Key points
- Vicarious trauma is the mark left by repeatedly listening to traumatic accounts.
- It is common among health professionals and carers; it is a human response to demanding work.
- Recurring images, numbing, tension and a darkening view of the world are warning signs.
- Protecting yourself involves both you (limits, connections, breaks) and how work is organised (supervision, a reasonable workload).
- When the signs persist, it helps to seek professional support: it can be treated.
References
- Gusman, F.D. and Swales, P.J. (n.d.) Vicarious trauma: towards recognition and resilience building. National Center for PTSD; Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice. Available at: https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/ovc/files/media/document/VT_Towards_Recognition_and_Resilience_Building.pdf (accessed 16 October 2026).
- McCann, I.L. and Pearlman, L.A. (1990) 'Vicarious traumatization: a framework for understanding the psychological effects of working with victims', Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3(1), pp. 131–149. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00975140.
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), Secondary Traumatic Stress Committee (2011) Secondary traumatic stress: a fact sheet for child-serving professionals. Los Angeles and Durham: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. Available at: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/secondary_traumatic_stress_child_serving_professionals.pdf (accessed 16 October 2026).
- Xu, Z., Zhao, B., Zhang, Z., Wang, X., Jiang, Y., Zhang, M. and Li, P. (2024) 'Prevalence and associated factors of secondary traumatic stress in emergency nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis', European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 15(1), 2321761. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2024.2321761.
This article offers general guidance, up to date at the date of publication. It is no substitute for the advice of a doctor, who alone can make a diagnosis, or for support from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
