Psychology of Empathy for the Needy - Essay Example

? Compassion and the Caretaker Fundamentally, every human being seeks for acceptance and love. Most people with a deeper level of compassion have a tendency of taking the responsibility of others and their well-being. In this case, caretakers are individuals who are responsible for others’ well-being and feelings, and takers are people who often blame others when they fail to take their responsibility since, they expect people to take full responsibility of their well-being and feelings. In facts, a compassionate individual easily understands people’s feelings, and thus they are drawn to people in pain. A compassionate heart enables one to care for the individual with love without expecting anything in return. Often, compassionate people care deeply about people that, they forget about themselves. Those with a deeper level of compassion are the ones that turns out to be caretakers, and excel well when working with people with serious illness or when death is present. Compassionate people enhance a difference in the way they relate to people, and in most cases, they are most preferable to taking care of the sick or those who have lost hope in life. The more an individual feels accepted, the less he is emotionally disturbed. Studies outline that, when caretakers take full grasp of the importance of being compassionate, there will be positive thoughts, which eventually enhances the well-being of an individual (Cherry, 2011). Therefore, caretakers should articulate that, human beings have a craving to be accepted and loved hence taking care of them in a compassionate way meets their needs emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Naturally, having a compassionate heart enables an individual to reach out to those in need and pain. In facts, helping is not something that people think about but, it is the instinctive response that demands self-sacrifice. In this context, this paper seeks to discuss in what ways the compassion of the caretaker is important and how it’s exhibited when working with individuals where illness and death is present. According to Straub (2006), helping those in need demands commitment. In this case, a compassionate individual look beyond economic status, religion and sex. Through compassion, individuals see a patient who in this case may be a stranger as a sister or a brother. From this point, one can outline that, making a choice to open our hearts to someone in need require sacrifice. In this case, the compassion of the caretaker is important and exhibited when working with individuals in need for a number of reasons as discussed below. A compassionate caretaker goes beyond race, religion, and economic status, and when this is extended to an individual with illness or close to death he feels appreciated. In most cases, people with illnesses are much sensitive towards how they are treated, which if handled inappropriately may hinder their well-being. Therefore, a compassionate caretaker is important in promoting an individual well-being, which is extended by kind words and actions. Caring for the sick and the dying enhances healing of the mind, physical body, and soul since healing is a connection between the mind and body. Most healing techniques regard the importance of being compassionate to the sick and the dying because it incorporates both mental and physical healing. It is documented that, the sickness we experience are like clouds obscuring the sun in the sky (Smith, 1992). Just like the cloud temporarily blocks the sun despite being of the same nature, sicknesses are temporary thus; its causes can be eradicated from the mind. From this concept, when the inner person is dealt with, the external will be fit and safe from illnesses. It is believed that, the mind is the creator of all problems, and still the creator of health and sickness. A compassionate caretaker enhances healing of the mind, which is achieved by identifying along with people’s pain as something they can feel along with them. In acting benevolently, the caretaker understands the need of extending love and kindness even when the situation or the sickness dictates otherwise. This implies that, a compassionate caretaker exhibit love to all without judgment and reservation, which involves staying present in the painful experience of the other without moving away or changing it. The dying and the sick are subject to feelings of helplessness, loneliness, and isolation. Their suffering can be ameliorated by a strong sense of connection to others, which compassion brings. For a compassionate caretaker, the way he treats the sick and the dying can offer the indulgence of an intimate relationship that eventually, can assist to eradicate feelings that the sick are subjected to such as helplessness, isolation, and loneliness. Through compassion, the caretaker becomes a concern of the present need, and diligently works to alleviate any suffering. No wonder, compassion is often regarded as “love in deed”, which goes beyond self-interest for the good of others. In other words, compassionate caretakers do not regard much what pleases them rather, what pleases others hence extend their love to all despite the unfavorable conditions. Similarly, this involves letting go of one’s needs to attend to the needs of others. At this point, one can articulate that, compassionate caretakers exhibit their care in giving out the best without expecting any reward. Compassionate caretakers are sensitive to the needs of others, and this drives them to reach out to the sick and the dying with love. Often, the sick and the dying suffer from most disorders, and when caretaker stands out to serve them, they feel loved and appreciated. Compassion is the key aspect to the sick and the dying. With this regard, health psychiatrists advise caregivers to give themselves altruistically as a gift of love (Straub, 2006). This is because; caretakers have the opportunity to reach out with love by being friendly, open, and compassionate, which thereafter enhance healing through the gift of an extraordinary intimacy. With no doubt; compassionately attending to the sick and the dying is deeply rewarding since it heals the division that is much destructive in the modern life. By being compassionate, caretakers share the burden and anticipatory grief of suffering with the sick and the dying in their last journey. Ironically, the sick and the dying have often been neglected and sidelined in the society to the extent that, most end up in depression that eventually leads to death (Owens, 1999). With this in mind, compassion is a gift that caretakers should share throughout their lives as they take care of the sick and the dying. Compassionate caretakers augment a friendly environment for the sick and the dying where they can feel a sense of belonging as they interact with others. In facts, these cause potential benefits of stress reduction, the increase of self-esteem, confidence and identity. Whether the situation is favorable or not, with the mentioned potential benefits, the sick and the dying can stand tall with hope that soon they will be better. Therefore, being a compassionate caretaker is fundamental in creating a friendly environment that eradicates discrimination or division between the sick and those who are well. Reaching out with compassion is paramount since it is a powerful process of healing, which enables the sick or dying to see sickness or the problem as something positive instead of negative. Compassionate caretakers understand that, a predicament is only a predicament if it is labeled so. This implies that, if one looks at a problem differently, one can see it as an opportunity to grow and practice something positive. An individual concept often brings the greatest fear and suffering. For instance, a doctor may inform the patient that he has an incurable disease like Cancer or Aids that eventually, may make the patient to be in great distress of the mind. In this case, the patient may suffer from depression as he perceives that death is around the corner. A compassionate caretaker intervenes in such a situation to offer hope, love, and peace as he steps in enhancing an ideal environment for healing. By reaching out with love, the sick and the dying feel that they are not neglected, and with no time, augment a powerful process of healing. To the sick, a compassionate heart is more than having wealth since it is only compassion that guarantees a peaceful and a happy mind, which is the best thing to help the sick and the dying. When the sick and the dying are reached out with love, they prevent negative thoughts that may hinder total healing of the mind. It is important to articulate that, even when the sickness seems so severe, a compassionate caretaker can reach out with love, and since the mind is a powerful tool that enhances healing with time, the patient’s condition may get better. From this, compassionate caretakers boost healing of the mind, which purify any negative thought of the mind. This implies that, when the mind set is changed, the sick and the dying can attain healing. In this context, there are various ways that a compassionate caretaker can extend his compassion to the sick and the dying. For instance, through compliments and appreciation, the victim may feel a sense of appreciation, which thereafter may increase her or his well being. Compassionate caretakers assist in promoting health and prevention of illness. In reality, health and sickness is influenced by a number of factors such as psychological and behavioral factors that impact an individual’s well-being and medical conditions. In arguing this, health psychiatrist focuses on how behavior, social factors, biology, and psychology influence health and sickness (Straub, 2006). Most caretakers work with individuals, communities and groups to reduce illness and improve health. As mentioned above, social factors are among the core factors that influence illness and health, and in this case, social factors include social support and genuine relationships. Through a compassionate caretaker, sick can recover from the illness of stress reduction, reducing risk behaviors, and grief counseling for patients with terminal diseases. To this point, it stands out that, being compassionate is paramount particularly, when taking care of the sick and the dying. A compassionate caretaker goes beyond predicament or cultural differences. He offers hope, love and peace as he steps in enhancing an idyllic environment for healing. When those in need are reached out with love, it eradicates negative thoughts that hinder total healing of the mind. From this concept, a compassionate caretaker plays a vital role in enhancing the well-being of an individual. Compassionate caretakers create a friendly environment for the sick and the dying, which eventually improve a sense of belonging that eventually help in stress management, increase of self-esteem, confidence, and identity. It borne in mind; the sick undergo a lot of suffering physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. Often, the sick feel a sense of isolation and loneliness, and with this in mind, caretakers are obligated to exercise their duties compassionately as they extend their love to the sick and the dying. Conclusion The above paper has discussed out how compassion of the caretaker is important and exhibited when working with the sick and the dying. In discussing this, the paper has outlined that, compassionate caretakers extend their services with love without expecting anything in return. Compassionate caretakers are most preferable to taking care of the sick or those who have lost hope in life for a number of reasons. First, a compassionate caretaker is important in promoting an individual well-being, which extends to kind words and actions thus, augment healing of the mind, physical body, and soul. Most healing techniques evaluate the significance of being compassionate to the sick and the dying since it incorporates both mental and physical healing. Secondly, through compassion the sick and the dying suffering can be ameliorated by a strong sense of interaction. In this case, compassionate caretaker creates a platform where the sick and the dying acquire intimate relationship that eradicates feelings subjected to sickness such as helplessness, isolation, and loneliness. Thirdly, by being a compassionate caretaker, there are opportunities to reach out with love, which thereafter enhance healing through the gift of an extraordinary intimacy. This is deeply gratifying since it eradicates discrimination that is much destructive in the modern life. Fourthly, reaching out in compassion is a powerful process of healing that changes the mindset of the sick and the dying. Instead of seeing a problem as something to devastate oneself, they view it as an opportunity for growth. Compassionate caretakers help the sick to embrace every challenge they encounter on a daily basis is an opportunity for personal growth. Fifthly, compassionate care is important for enhancing a peaceful and a happy mind, which is one of the best techniques in the healing process. For instance, when the sick are reached out with love, negative thoughts that may hinder total healing of the mind are eradicated. Sixthly, through compassionate caretaker, the sick can recover from various illnesses such as stress reduction, reducing risk behaviors, and counseling for patients with terminal diseases. When the sick are reached out with love, it eliminates negative thoughts that interfere with the total healing of the mind. From this concept, Compassionate caretakers create a pleasant environment for the sick and the dying that enhance a sense of belonging and help in stress management, increase of self-esteem, confidence, and identity. With this in mind, this paper has effectively discussed ways that the compassion of the caretaker is important when working with individuals where illness and death is present. References Cherry, K. (2011). What is health psychology? Retrieved from: Owens, D.M. (1999). Hospitality to Strangers: Empathy and the Physician-Patient Relationship. London: Scholars Press Smith, C. (1992). The compassionate Heart. Retrieved From: Straub, R.O. (2006). Health psychology: a biopsychosocial approach. New York: Worth Publisher Read More