Volunteer support

• Burnout symptoms

  Fatigue from 'good deeds', irritability, feeling pointless, somatic issues — a chronic-stress reaction, not weakness.

• Prevention

  Boundaries: fixed hours, a no-help day, delegation; 'I can't take this' is a valid sentence.

• Secondary trauma

  Regular contact with others' grief: supervision, volunteer support groups, individual therapy — normal for long-term volunteering.

• Where to turn

  The psychological support line (see Crisis lines), volunteer communities, war-volunteer support programs.

A burned-out volunteer doesn't help — they need help. Best strategy: take less but regularly, and normalize rest as part of volunteering, not betrayal.