According to the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project, caring too much can hurt.

When caregivers focus on others without taking care of themselves burn out, poor judgement and bad overall health can follow.

It's also possible that members of the general public also face compassion or emotional fatigue by constantly witnessing bad news events such as the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, Super Storm Sandy, the Oklahoma tornadoes, the Boston Marathon bombing and other tragedies.

Continued fatigue can then lead to apathy, isolation, bottled up emotions and substance abuse.

In some ways, compassion fatigue is a secondary traumatic stress disorder.

Whether the caregiver is a family member, nurse, doctor, attorney or other professional it can be draining to constantly come face to face with heart wrenching, emotional challenges.

Ultimately, the person sees any positive change as elusive or impossible.

The CFAP says a path to wellness begins with awareness, regular exercise, healthy eating habits, enjoyable social activities, journaling, and restful sleep.

Some symptoms of compassion fatigue include:

Normal symptoms present in an individual include:

• Excessive blaming

• Bottled up emotions

• Isolation from others

• Receives unusual amount of complaints from others

• Voices excessive complaints about administrative functions

• Substance abuse used to mask feelings

• Compulsive behaviors such as overspending, overeating, gambling, sexual addictions

• Poor self-care (i.e., hygiene, appearance)

• Legal problems, indebtedness

• Reoccurrence of nightmares and flashbacks to traumatic event

• Chronic physical ailments such as gastrointestinal problems and recurrent colds

• Apathy, sad, no longer finds activities pleasurable

• Difficulty concentrating

• Mentally and physically tired

• Preoccupied

• In denial about problems

There are some things the professional or member of the public can do to recover healthy attitudes and behaviors.

• Be kind to yourself.

• Enhance your awareness with education.

• Accept where you are on your path at all times.

• Understand that those close to you may not be there when you need them most.

• Exchange information and feelings with people who can validate you.

• Listen to others who are suffering.

• Clarify your personal boundaries. What works for you; what doesn't.

• Express your needs verbally.

• Take positive action to change your environment.