Cancer fight is mental and physical
Imagine looking in the mirror or lying in bed and comparing your current life with your past life. You may think, “I used to look so much better” or “why would anyone want to be my friend now?”
Individuals diagnosed with cancer not only have physical health issues, but they may also struggle with maintaining positive mental health.
Although the physical damage that cancer inflicts on its patients is commonly discussed, we often overlook the toll that it could take on a patient’s mental health. Fear is one of the first emotions felt by patients and their family/caregivers following a cancer diagnosis, and this fear soon turns into helplessness. Patients feel as if they no longer have a grasp on their own life, and with day-to-day uncertainty about their own health, may wonder if they will live long enough to fulfil their dreams.
It’s particularly discouraging and frustrating when you have a future planned, but are forced to prioritize and reframe your goals given your health diagnosis. For many patients, this can lead to a lower perceived selfworth, along with existential dread and a shift in personal values.
A cancer diagnosis can impact the emotional well-being of patients and their families by undermining the sense of self-esteem. In the context of cancer, self-esteem is a psychological resource that allows individuals to manage their fear of their diagnosis. Low self-esteem is associated with mental-health disorders and an increased sensitivity to the psychological impact of negative life events. In particular, physical damages engendered by cancer treatment and the consequent changes in body image can weaken self-esteem.
Physical alterations such as scars following surgery, hair loss, sexual problems and weight fluctuations may lead to negative self-perceptions, which ultimately impacts a patient’s self worth. According to psychologists at the University of Savoie Mont-Blanc, the level of self-esteem of breast cancer patients is lower in women who received surgery to remove their breasts than in women who were able to have breastconserving surgery.
Moreover, friends and family might not have a complete grasp of how a loved one with cancer may feel, which can lead to feelings of isolation for the patient. Due to this, it is hard to find comfort and confide in the people you trust; many patients develop depressive disorders because they are not receiving the social support that they need.
On the other hand, some patients may feel that they are a burden to those around them. They are cautious about upsetting the people they love and would blame themselves for lifestyle choices, instead of seeking support from their loved ones. Palliative care physicians at Hospiz im Park in Switzerland show that a selfperceived burden influences decision-making in serious illness, including decisions about whether to prolong or withhold life-sustaining treatment.
Feelings of isolation, negative views of oneself, anxiety and depression are all impacts of cancer that may not be discussed as much, but are just as important as the physical health impacts.
It is vital for cancer patients to be offered mental-health resources such therapy, along with chemical or radiative treatments, in order for them to live the best life possible. It is also important for family and friends to be understanding and supportive as this can be a difficult journey for everyone involved.