Cancer's Emotional Burden Unveiled Through Survey Findings
The emotional impact of cancer on patients and their families is a common yet often overlooked issue that requires more attention and support. Cancer symptoms can get in the way of healing, leading to people stopping treatment early, delaying care, or isolating themselves completely. The emotional impact of cancer often goes unnoticed, affecting nearly every part of a patient's life and the people around them in ways that are often invisible.
Fortunately, there are extensive resources available to address the emotional impact of cancer on both patients and their families. These resources include psychosocial oncology programs, support groups, counseling, family and caregiver support, child and teen resources, complementary and integrative therapies, helplines, peer support, and practical support.
Psychosocial Oncology Programs offer emotional and mental health support tailored to cancer patients and their family members. These programs provide both in-person and telehealth sessions, support groups, and bereavement counseling.
Support groups and counseling are also available, offering a space for patients and families to share experiences and develop support networks. Licensed counselors and behavioral health specialists address anxiety, depression, and stress related to cancer.
Family and caregiver support services focus on helping family members and caregivers cope, offering counseling, caregiving support, and resources to manage the emotional and practical challenges of cancer.
Child and teen resources provide educational materials, support groups, and activity books designed to help children and teens understand and emotionally process a parent's cancer diagnosis.
Complementary and integrative therapies, such as meditation, yoga, massage, acupuncture, and guided imagery, can help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being during and after treatment.
Helplines connect patients and caregivers with local support services and counseling, while peer mentoring programs link individuals with others who have experienced similar cancer journeys.
Practical support, including financial counseling and assistance, can alleviate stress and contribute to overall emotional resilience.
For families affected by cancer, connecting with psychosocial oncology services available through their treatment centers for individual or family counseling, exploring support groups tailored to their cancer type and involving family members, utilizing recommended books and resources for their children to help them cope with their mother's diagnosis, encouraging participation in complementary therapies or wellness programs to help manage stress, and accessing caregiver support services to help support them effectively are all crucial steps in providing emotional support throughout the cancer journey and beyond.
Mental health professionals working with cancer patients often see depression and anxiety as common, with some feelings persisting long after treatment. Younger adults between 18 and 29 were more likely to feel grief right away, and also worried more about body image for themselves and the person diagnosed. Beyond immediate issues, people also named things like caregiver stress, side effects, family strain, and grief as concerns. The goal is to provide mental health support early in a patient's treatment or decision-making process.
A psychosocial program at a large cancer hospital is expanding to include more mental health workers. The pilot program testing this model was well-received and is being expanded to help more patients, starting with those being treated for head and neck cancer. Mental health care is being brought directly to cancer doctors to facilitate discussions about emotional struggles during regular visits.
The emotional struggles faced by patients and caregivers during cancer treatment require more work to support them effectively. Surveys like the one conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center highlight the widespread emotional impact of cancer on patients and their families. The provision of mental health support in the same space as a trusted cancer doctor makes it easier for patients to ask for help.
Caregivers often put their own health last, which can lead to bigger problems down the line. Life expectancy ranked highest on the list of concerns for most people in the survey. Older adults, especially those over 65, focused more on the type of treatment being given and how hard it might be for caregivers in the survey. Other top worries included the type of treatment their loved one would go through and whether that person would be in pain.
The constant worry and exhaustion can take a heavy toll on caregivers, leading to feelings of guilt, sadness, and burnout. Cancer doctors are often the first person a patient turns to when emotional struggles surface. The emotional struggles faced by patients and caregivers during cancer treatment require more work to support them effectively.
- Recognizing the importance of mental health, psychosocial oncology programs are now incorporating more mental health workers to provide emotional support for cancer patients, starting with those being treated for head and neck cancer.
- To alleviate the emotional impact of cancer on both patients and their families, it's crucial for families affected by cancer to connect with psychosocial oncology services, explore support groups tailored to their cancer type, participate in complementary therapies for stress management, seek caregiver support services, and access mental health resources to address depression and anxiety that may persist beyond treatment.
