Secondary traumatic stress is a reaction to vicarious trauma which results in symptoms that align with those of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) yet may not meet the full criteria for a PSTD diagnosis⁴. These include:

• Impacted Mood - anxiety, depression, irritability, aggressive outbursts, difficulty managing emotions

• Intrusive thoughts or nightmares about traumatic events

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Emotional numbing or detachment from others

• Hypervigilance or constant worry about safety

Vicarious traumatisation refers to the impact vicarious trauma is known to have on individual’s beliefs and world view. This can include:

• The loss of a sense of meaning in life

• Feeling hopeless about the future

• Feeling that the world is unsafe

These reactions can lead to:

• Relationship problems

• Destructive coping or addictive behaviours

• Trauma & stress related disorders - such as PTSD

• Mood & anxiety disorders

• Fatigue, insomnia, or sleep disturbances

• Chronic pain or headaches

• Decreased resistance to illness

• Digestive problems or gastrointestinal issues

• Respiratory problems or difficulty breathing

• High blood pressure or heart problems

• Poor Staff Retention
  High staff turnover rates in organisations are a costly and disruptive consequence of unmanaged vicarious trauma⁵’⁸. When skilled workers leave, it is common for institutional knowledge and interagency networks and relationships to deteriorate.
  

• Quality of Services
  Employees experiencing vicarious trauma may struggle to provide quality services to trauma-survivors or collaborate effectively with other services. This can result in distress to the client, poor case outcomes, negative feedback from other services & reputational damage.

• Poor Organisational Culture
  Vicarious trauma can have a detrimental impact on workplace culture. The impacts to individual workers such as low morale, impacted mood and concentration, are compounded when a team is collectively impacted by vicarious trauma. This can lead to poor communication, increased conflict and reduced productivity⁸.

  Vicarious trauma can also contribute to a culture of distrust and cynicism, making it difficult for employees to effectively collaborate.

• Legal and Ethical Risks
  Employees who are experiencing vicarious trauma may not be able to provide a professional standard of care to clients.

• Financial Costs
  VT is costly to organisations who must invest in increased recruitment, sick leave and costs related to workers compensation.

  Organisations may also be liable for damages related to negligence, when failure to engage in risk management leads to a worker experiencing psychological injury.