Mental Health when Caring for Others: Humanitarian and Third Sector Workers
Work in the humanitarian field, as a human rights defender, in international cooperation and in the third sector (NGOs, associations, etc.) is motivated by a deep commitment to the wellbeing of the most vulnerable people and communities and is associated with values such as altruism, solidarity and empathy. However, workers dedicated to these activities face challenges—physical, emotional and psychological—that can seriously affect their mental health, as they are constantly exposed to situations of suffering, sometimes extreme, and unexpected threats that can even endanger their own lives.
The Challenge of the Constant Exposure to Suffering
Humanitarian personnel are constantly exposed to situations of extreme suffering, while third sector workers also face extremely difficult moments in their work with vulnerable groups. Experiences such as war, hunger, forced displacement, lack of basic needs or even the loss of human lives are part of the daily work of these individuals.
At the same time, lack of resources, work overload and the pressure of having to make critical decisions under adverse conditions can increase stress levels. Over time, this accumulated stress can lead to emotional exhaustion that affects both the professional and personal lives of aid workers and third sector personnel.
How Do These Jobs Affect Mental Health?
- Vicarious Trauma: Both humanitarian workers and those in NGOs and associations face others’ suffering daily, whether in conflict zones, humanitarian emergencies or social exclusion environments. Continuous exposure to these situations can lead to developing:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Re-experiencing
- Sleep disorders (insomnia, hypersomnia, nightmares…)
- Hopelessness
- Accumulated Stress: Facing lack of resources, pressure to make crucial decisions in adverse situations and work overload are common factors in these sectors. The stress accumulated from these responsibilities can cause significant emotional exhaustion that may lead to burnout.
- Burnout Syndrome: This syndrome manifests as a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, accompanied by a cynical attitude towards work and a decrease in personal satisfaction. It is frequent among humanitarian, aid and third sector personnel due to the demanding nature of their work.
- Empathic Stress (previously called compassion fatigue): This refers to the emotional and physical exhaustion experienced by people who provide care and support to others, especially in highly stressful and emotionally demanding professions such as international cooperation, humanitarian and third sector work.
Both burnout and empathic stress can coexist, seriously affecting workers’ ability to perform their work effectively.
Faced with all this symptomatology, it’s important to remember another series of elements—stressors—that can intensify it and cause greater distress among humanitarian, aid and third sector personnel, such as:
- Geographic and Emotional Isolation: Humanitarian and third sector work often involves being in remote locations, which can generate a sense of both physical and emotional isolation. The lack of a close support network can increase the risk of developing mental health problems.
- Lack of Resources for Psychological Support: Although the importance of psychological wellbeing is recognized in these sectors, the resources available for mental health care are often limited. This can lead workers to repress their emotions, exacerbating the emotional burden.
Long-Term Consequences
The impact of these factors on the mental health of humanitarian personnel, international aid workers and third sector professionals can lead to notably significant psychological aftermath and consequences if not properly addressed.
Persistent Mental Health Disorders
The prolonged impact of stress and trauma can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression and chronic anxiety disorders.
Desafíos Challenges when Returning Home
It is normal to face difficulties reintegrating into everyday life. One may experience a sense of disconnection and alienation, which aggravates mental health problems.
Early psychological intervention is fundamental to prevent the deterioration of mental health among humanitarian workers, international aid workers and third sector personnel, both to prevent the onset of symptoms and to intervene on the consequences and aftereffects that are already present.
While organizations should prioritize creating psychological support programs that include counseling, psychological assistance and stress management programs, this is not common practice in these sectors, which is why seeking support and accompaniment is essential for the mental health of people working in the sector.
How Can I Take Care of My Mental Health if I Work in the Humanitarian, Cooperation or Third Sector?
If you are a worker in the humanitarian or cooperation field, as well as a third sector professional, and you feel that your mental health is being affected, remember that you are not alone.
Seeking professional help is an act of courage and the first step towards caring for your wellbeing so that you can continue accompanying and assisting others and, above all, yourself.
At Integria Psicología we have the initiative ‘Your Psychologist in the Field‘, where the Director and Psychologist of Integria Psicología, Irene Serrano, can accompany you in caring for your mental health, as she was an aid worker in Latin America at the beginning of her career as a psychologist. Currently, she combines private practice with humanitarian and aid personnel deployed in the field with her work as a trainer and consultant for different organizations such as ODHIR (OSCE) and local actors in Málaga, conducting workshops on Mental Health for third sector personnel, humanitarian workers and human rights defenders.
Irene Serrano Neira
Health psychologist specializing in anxiety, attachment, gender violence, trauma, and migration processes.