Cancer is one of the most frightening and common diseases in the present century that affects many people. Having this disease has profound effects on the family, the mental health of the person and his life in general. One of the major problems in these people is depression, and due to the devastating effects, it has on his health and treatment process, treating a patient’s mental health problems is as important as treating cancer.
Depression in cancer patients
Anxiety and depression are the most common psychological reactions seen in cancer patients, and even ongoing treatments are anxious for the person.
On the other hand, pain tolerance in cancer patients has a strong effect on the patient’s quality of life and the physical and psychological aspects of life.
Psychological problems are quite common in cancer patients:
Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorders, psychological neurological conditions are the most common problems associated with cancer.
Physical factors such as the direct effects of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and medications such as steroids exacerbate the patient’s condition.
Disappointment is a prominent phenomenon in cancer patients. Increased physical disability, more advanced disease, and pain are associated with a higher prevalence of depression.
Higher levels of depression are also associated with side effects of medications and cancer treatment.
Depression and cancer affect the progression of each in such a way that cancer causes depression and depression also causes cancer to progress.
Cancer and anxiety
Anxiety is common in cancer patients, in part because of the fear of unwelcome news about diagnosis and treatment options.
Anxiety disorders are more common in cancer patients than in other chronic diseases.
Types of cancer anxiety
- Functional anxiety:
It means giving up work and housework due to illness
- Medical anxiety:
Means fear of painful treatments and needles
- Existential concerns:
Uncertainly about health and survival.
Cancer treatments can cause anxiety and may play a significant role in a patient’s psychological mortality.
Symptoms of limb anxiety can be the result of disease conditions such as infection, pain, hormonal abnormalities, and complications of medical treatment.
PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder in cancer
PTSD is post-traumatic stress disorder and is common in cancer.
symptoms of PTSD affected on mental health:
- Nightmares and flashbacks (repetition of an accident in the mind or in dream)
- Avoid places, events, people, or things that remind them of bad memories.
- Feeling of guilt, frustration, or embarrassment.
- Sleep disturbance or concentration.
- Constant feeling of fear or anger.
- Loss of interest in activities and relationships that were previously enjoyable.
- Self-destructive behaviour, such as drug or alcohol abuse.
- Scary or unwanted thoughts.
- Inability to understand emotions.
Suicide in cancer patients
Suicides in cancer patients are two to ten times higher than in the general population. The risk of suicide may be higher in the advanced stages of the disease.
These patients are at risk of suicide after a period of hospitalization and discharge and at the time of disease recurrence.
Depression and anxiety due to cancer, fear of death and cancer recurrence are also factors that lead these patients to suicidal ideation.
Physical changes and loss of physical attractiveness
Changes in body shape and loss of attractiveness in cancer patients is one of the deepest psychological consequences of cancer treatments.
Wounds and deformities of the body function as a reminder of the painful experience of cancer and its treatment.
Stress and depression can also be the result of change concerns.
In general, in addition to physical problems, this disease also causes serious psychological problems that need to treat and resolved.
Anger in response to cancer
Anger in cancer is another factor that has a significant impact on the mental health of patients.
Affected patients may be angry with themselves, their loved ones, those around them, and even God.
Feeling angry takes energy from you and makes you tense and restless, which is why you need manage it.
To control your anger, do the following:
- talk to your friends and relative
- cry, of course, if crying reduces your anger.
- Exercise, walk, etc. help reduce anger.
- Write a letter to God or anyone else you are angry with.
- Forgive yourself and others and make up for your mistakes and shortcoming.
The role of hope and motivation in the mental health of cancer patients
Psychologists believe that hope plays significant role in mental health.
Hope has intellectual and emotional dimensions. The intellectual dimension of hope includes the ways to reach the goal and the emotional dimension includes the emotion and motivation necessary to move towards the goals.
Hope and purposefulness make a person with cancer show more purposeful and health-promoting behaviours.
Hope is also source of mental strength for a person with cancer, which is associated with confidence in recovery, and the result of this association is a reduction in stress and thus strengthens the immune system.
The hopeful person deals with the cancer problem more actively and shows more tolerance for its consequences (including hair loss, nausea, etc.)
The impact of family on the mental health of cancer patients
Studies show that, families play a significant role in improving the mental health of cancer patients.
The families of these patients can give hope and motivation to these people by their words.
Physicians and medical staff also have a special role in increasing the hope of the patients and their family.
The physician, as a specialist, should be aware of the effect of his/her words and tone of voice on the patient’s anxiety or hope.
Conclusion
The psychological problems caused by cancer will solved by attending counselling sessions and talking to a professional psychologist.
Just remember that you need to take care of your mental health as much as you care about your physical condition or that of the person you love.
It is recommended that patients have a psychological consultation in the first stage when they diagnosed with cancer and treatment is to be started for them, and during the treatment, this consultation should be followed up and continued so that they can find a way together.
So that neither the patients are harmed, nor the treatment is difficult so that the doctors can continue the treatment easily.
