Many people who dedicate their lives to creating healthier and safer communities—educators, healthcare workers, social workers, community organizers, advocates, and volunteers—carry extraordinary emotional and ethical burdens. They show up every day to care deeply for others, often with limited resources and in environments filled with uncertainty and rapid change.

In recent years, the strain has only intensified. As communities face ongoing conflicts, divisive public conversations, and systems stretched past capacity, the gap between what helpers know should be done and what they can do has grown.

Most people in helping professions or community work realize that this work can take a toll: secondary trauma, the emotional stress of witnessing or hearing about others’ suffering, and compassion fatigue, the emotional exhaustion that comes from prolonged caregiving, are common risks. Fewer people know about the risks of moral distress and moral injury—the inner conflict and lasting impact that occur when our actions, or our inability to act, violate our core values. That gap can take a profound toll on your physical and mental health.

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different experiences:

Moral distress occurs when a person knows the right........

© Psychology Today