Cancer Could Lead to Depression
Having to deal with an important issue as cancer is very hard. It doesn't only affect your body but your mind too. A prolonged illness that may have no response for severe treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, surgical intervention may trigger in someone's mind many unhealthy feelings which could lead to depression.
Studies conducted by the American Psychological Association show that between 20 and 60 percent of all people affected by cancer also encounter symptoms of depression. This disease is a heavy burden for many people – who have to carry it to the end of life, which in some cases may appear sooner then expected – and it can impact the emotional well being of any of the people.
Dealing with anxiety
The fears of unknown and of known but undesired caused by the transition from a normal life to one with cancer can overwhelm a person. Cancer patients experiencing treatments for the first time can be filled with so much anxiety that they develop anticipatory nausea and vomiting. Trained therapists can teach skills like systematic desensitization, which makes the patient imagine different parts of the treatment, from the least feared to the most, learning to reach a level of comfort with each one.
Visualization is a technique, much like systematic desensitization, in which patients learn to induce calm during or after treatment to distract them from anxiety, discomfort or pain. Researchers believe that these techniques can reduce nausea and vomiting both before and after treatment and can decrease the severity of side effects.
What factors can cause depression
Depression can be caused by many aspects that could change in a cancer patient's life. Not being able to keep their work schedules, painful changes in their relationships and the stress of dealing with bills and insurance details.
Having to face all the difficult challenges can cause many cancer patients to escape into themselves and create blockages to the outside world. It is important for them not to isolate themselves but to keep opened doors to reality and to communicate with the exterior world.
The help provided by therapy
Through therapy, a cancer patient may find new ways to deal with the problems he or she encounters and to those that will come. A therapist can help by leading the patient into focusing on the happy aspects of his live and on the enjoyable moments and activities. Also the therapist can provide useful information on resources that would relieve the burden of the health insurance.
Both individual and group therapy can have positive effects over a cancer patient's life and can be a powerful tool in the struggle with the physical and emotional features that are damaged by the disease. Therapy as a part of an elaborated plan of treatment will help preventing or relieving the symptoms of depression