Compassion Fatigue and Mental Health Resources for Researchers

Animal research can be a very emotionally challenging and demanding field. Many animal researchers are in the field because they want to help both people and animals. However, certain necessary parts of animal research might appear to conflict with this mission, and therefore, a researcher’s personal and moral values. 

Researchers may experience emotional distress when viewing animals in unavoidable distress, having to cause that distress themselves for study purposes, or especially when euthanizing animals. This perceived unalignment between one’s values and one’s actions can be a great source of distress for many researchers. Repeated exposure to these kinds of challenging experiences and the mental effects of such exposures can manifest as a phenomenon called compassion fatigue.  

Compassion fatigue is a normal response for many professionals working in animal research. Compassion fatigue can present itself in many ways, but most commonly, researchers report feelings of depression, anxiety, exhaustion/burnout, and a change in the ability to feel empathy, whether toward human or animal. Researchers have also described a decrease in sleep, decreased cognitive ability, social isolation, feelings of anger, frustration, cynicism, and hopelessness, and in acute cases, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and even suicidal ideation. 

References: 

• Compassion Fatigue from The 3Rs Collective: https://3rc.org/compassion-fatigue/ 

• Dare 2 Care and Compassion in Science from The University of Washington: https://sites.uw.edu/d2c/ 

• Compassion Awareness Project from The University of Michigan: https://animalcare.umich.edu/connect-with-us/compassion-awareness-project/  

• The Cost of Caring by AALAS: https://aalaslearninglibrary.org/pdf/course2593/cost_of_caring.pdf 

Are you experiencing compassion fatigue, or know someone who is? Here are some ways that we can build resiliency to compassion fatigue and rely on our support network to navigate some of the most difficult challenges of animal research. 

• Maintain work-life balance – It's important that researchers have boundaries between home and work life, and are encouraged to take breaks often. Being able to "clock out” mentally is a form of self-care and very important in all fields, not just animal research. 

• Talk about it – Sometimes, knowing you’re not alone provides the comfort and community necessary to be able to endure these challenging situations. Researchers, especially Principal Investigators, should be open to talking with their colleagues and study staff about their experiences with compassion fatigue and normalize its existence, not stigmatize it. If certain procedures are significantly taxing for a researcher’s mental health, the researcher should talk to their PI about the potential for alternative procedures. 

• Promote self-care, resiliency, and wellness – Your ability to feel and care for others, human or animal, is related to your ability to feel and care for yourself. Step away from the lab and do something you enjoy: watch a movie, go for a walk, take a hot bath, spend time with friends, and make sure you are well-fed and hydrated. 

• Talk to a mental health professional – If you are experiencing significant emotional disturbance, due to animal research or not, it may be beneficial to speak to a mental health professional. Below, we have listed some mental health resources available to NU students, NU faculty and staff, and employees from the Lurie Children’s Hospital and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. 

• Value the animals’ contributions – working with animals in research is a privilege. Some examples of valuing animal contribution include scheduling time for human-animal interaction, communicating to researchers the value of the human-animal bond, and allowing animals to be named. NU employees may also be able to rehome a dog or cat after a study is concluded. More information on adopting laboratory dogs or cats can be found here. 

The following resources are available to everyone, regardless of NU affiliation. 

• Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist can help you find a therapist in your area. 

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – dial 988 or web chat. 

• Crisis Text Line – text HOME to 741-741. 

• Boy’s Town National Hotline – call 1-800-448-3000 or text VOICE to 20121. 

NU students may utilize NU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) if they wish to talk about their struggles with a mental health professional. CAPS employs a diverse staff of therapists, social workers, and psychiatrists to assist NU students with their mental health struggles during their time at Northwestern. They are particularly proficient in topics such as depression, anxiety, building community, and developing coping skills. 

CAPS offers FREE individual and group therapy (notable examples being their Graduate Student Support Group and Mandarin-Speaking Interpersonal Processing Group), as well as psychiatric services such as medication management. They offer services in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and Hindi. CAPS is fully confidential; no professors, NU staff, or even family members will know if a student visits CAPS.  

Students can access CAPS services by signing up for an appointment online or walking in during their Same Day Access hours. For more information, please visit their How to Access Our Services page or call them at 847-491-2151. Their after-hours crisis services number is also 847-491-2151.  

*Please note that post-doctoral researchers are not eligible for services at CAPS. Instead of CAPS, post-doctoral researchers can utilize the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), detailed below.