Severe illnesses, especially cancer, bring significant challenges not only to physical health but also to the mental well-being of those affected. The treatment process demands not only strong physical resilience but is also fraught with numerous emotional difficulties. Psychological support plays a crucial role in this context, helping the patient cope with stress, depression, and other challenges related to the illness. During severe illness, balancing physical and mental health is of utmost importance. Psychological support aids the patient in adapting to the new situation, providing tools to manage pain, stress, and alienation. While it does not replace medical treatment, it complements the care provided by the medical team.
Possible Psychological Challenges Related to Cancer
Reactions to Diagnosis and Stress
Patients may experience various reactions to their diagnosis, including:
- Fear or anger;
- Strong reactions to changes occurring in the body;
- Treatment anxiety.
Reactions such as anger or difficulty coping with the loss of control are common in cancer patients. They typically experience heightened stress about dealing with the side effects of treatment, such as fatigue, pain, or nausea.
A severe illness can bring about many personal crises and reflections on:
- Spiritual life;
- Sexuality;
- Relationships.
Family Relationships
Cancer often affects family dynamics. A diagnosis inevitably changes how a patient communicates with their children and impacts intimacy with their partner. The illness often alters the dynamics and roles the patient played in the family, either temporarily or long-term.
Financial Difficulties
A severe illness may require difficult discussions about:
- Financial support;
- Mortgage payments;
- Retirement plans;
- Drafting a will.
The process can also involve practical issues with transportation or difficulties in communicating with doctors. All of this can lead to tension within the family or additional stress for the affected individuals.
Self-Help for Cancer
Self-help plays a key role in the process of coping with cancer. While treatment requires specialized medical care, there are many ways the patient can actively engage in their treatment and support their psycho-emotional well-being.
Here are some self-help strategies that may be beneficial for cancer patients:
Self-Education and Awareness
As mentioned earlier, the feeling of losing control is a common issue associated with the diagnosis. Therefore, being informed is a crucial aspect of self-help. Patients should seek information from reliable sources about their illness and treatment. Understanding their condition can provide them with greater control over their health.
Healthy way of life
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial for cancer patients. This includes a balanced diet, regular physical activity, avoiding harmful substances like smoking, and monitoring alcohol consumption.
Healthy Lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential for cancer patients. This includes a balanced diet, regular physical activity, avoiding harmful substances like smoking, and monitoring alcohol consumption.
Physical Activity
Despite the limitations associated with treatment, patients can engage in light physical exercises adapted to their individual capabilities. This may include walking, yoga, or other forms of physical activity.
Support from Loved Ones
Family and close friends play an important role in the self-help process. Open communication, seeking support, and understanding from loved ones can help in dealing with stress and emotional difficulties.
Why External Help is Necessary for Cancer
Despite the above, patients may feel the need to deal with emerging problems in ways that their friends or family may not approve of. Psychological support allows the patient to discuss these issues and feelings with someone outside of close relationships. Often, loved ones are too close to the problems to see them clearly and objectively.
With the help of a therapist/psychologist, the patient can discover different coping methods they may not have considered before. Since counseling is confidential, the patient can be honest about their concerns. Psychological support is crucial for the patient’s overall well-being. It not only helps manage emotional challenges but also supports the physical recovery process. All components of the treatment process—the patient, their family, and the medical team—must work together to create a community that supports the patient’s psychological health.
Suitable Therapies for Psychological Support in Cancer
Psychological support can be provided through emotional support and therapeutic sessions. The fears, anger, sadness, and uncertainty faced by the patient often manifest as psychosomatic symptoms. Therapy can help resolve these emotional issues and foster a more positive mental attitude.
Here are some of the most commonly used types of psychological therapy for cancer patients:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
This is one of the most widely used approaches in psychotherapy, focusing on the interaction between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Applied to cancer patients, CBT can help overcome negative thoughts and beliefs related to the illness and adopt more positive strategies for coping with stress and anxiety.
Psychodynamic Therapy
This approach focuses on analyzing unconscious thoughts, emotions, and motivations that may influence behavior. Psychodynamic therapy can help cancer patients understand their emotions and motivations related to the illness more deeply and cope with them more effectively.
Integrative Therapy
This approach combines different methods and techniques from various forms of psychotherapy to meet the patient’s individual needs. Integrative therapy may include elements of CBT, psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, art therapy, and other forms of therapy to provide the best possible treatment for the patient.
Family Therapy
Cancer affects not only the patients but also their loved ones. Family therapy can help families cope with the emotional challenges arising from the illness, improve communication, and support each other through the difficult treatment process.
Group Therapy
Joining a support group is another important aspect of psychological help. In these groups, patients share their experiences, challenges, and emotions with people who are going through similar difficulties. This creates a sense of community and mutual support, which is particularly important during treatment.
All of these types of psychological therapy can be effective tools in helping cancer patients cope with the emotional challenges associated with their illness and improve their quality of life. It is important that therapy is adapted to the patient’s individual needs and preferences to provide the most effective impact.
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