If you have spent any time with a cancer patient as they underwent treatment, you probably know that the physical effects of the disease are only one part of the journey. A change in an individual's ability to function as they did pre-diagnosis causes a tremendous amount of stress. Fear of the unknown - and even the fear of the known - can also cause a patient to endure a level of stress that can be detrimental to their emotional health. These stresses can affect relationships with caregivers and other loved-ones, as well as their ability to function at work or perform routine tasks.
1 in 2 men and 1 in 3
women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, according to American
Cancer Society estimates.
Nothing can prepare a person to receive a diagnosis that can be potentially
fatal. And even when a patient has successfully made it through treatment and
is declared "cancer free", there still may be a tremendous amount of
residual worry.
The National Cancer Institute addresses stress and cancer on their website:
Studies have indicated that stress can affect tumor growth and spread, but the precise biological mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. Scientists have suggested that the effects of stress on the immune system may in turn affect the growth of some tumors. However, recent research using animal models indicates that the body’s release of stress hormones can affect cancer cell functions directly.
A review of studies that evaluated psychological factors and outcome in cancer patients suggests an association between certain psychological factors, such as feeling helpless or suppressing negative emotions...
Every
time a staff member at Hope Cancer Resources interacts with a cancer patient or their family members there is an
opportunity to provide emotional support. Even the smallest thing - like
providing a brochure - can reduce a patient's stress level. Our licensed
oncology social workers help patients and caregivers cope with emotional
distress through counseling, education and information on support groups offered in our community.
Here's a story of one of our patients who received emotional support from Hope
Cancer Resources:
"Jason"
is a cancer patient, married with three grown children. When we met him, he was
suffering from chronic pain stemming from a previous accident as well as
increasingly acute pain related to his cancer diagnosis. Jason refused
all but the mildest forms of pain medication. His pain was so extreme that he
considered ending his life.
Jason
had never been to a counselor. He had always been strong and able to
"handle anything on my own." Not wishing to burden his family, he
kept his suffering to himself, but doing so had taken its toll on this once
vibrant person who had already overcome many obstacles in life. Were it not for
the insistence of his physician, Jason might never have sought help. By the end
of his first therapy session, however, he shared what a relief it was to have a
safe place to talk about both his physical and emotional pain.
Over
the next several weeks, he and one of our licensed counselors met on a regular
basis and explored his beliefs about asking for help as well as his fear that
taking strong pain medications would cause him to develop an addiction.
Subsequently, Jason felt comfortable discussing and pursuing additional options
for pain relief with his physician.
By
his fourth session, there was nothing less than a remarkable change in
Jason. Physically, he appeared "lighter," peaceful and well
rested, but it was the change in his outlook on life that really made an
impression. His focus had shifted completely. Whereas Jason had
previously been plagued by persistent thoughts of death, he now talked in great
detail of his renewed relationship with his wife, their summer travel plans,
and resuming hobbies he enjoyed. With a big grin on his face, he came in
one day to simply say, "I've got a lot to live for."
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