Diagnosis of cancer devasted the patient’s mental condition. The fear of uncertainty about the treatment outcome often creates psychological pressure on the patient. The three major impacts of cancer on the mental state are as follows:
Mental numbness
Do not be confused between brain fog and mental numbness. Brain fog is something where an emotional state present and therefore one can realize the feelings of others. But cancer patients usually have mental numbness which cuts off all the emotions. Therefore, the patient cannot feel sadness, happiness, angry, or any other emotional feelings. In that case, he/she just simply exist in that circumstance.
Mental numbness is a complete mental shutdown that can compare to a state of power cut in a building. The mental numbness generates due to acute mental shock develops after knowing that the malignant tumor progression.
Exhaustion
Physical exhaustion after detection of cancer which is followed by treatment planning as well as interventions of different treatments exhausted the patient’s mental condition also. The mental state of a cancer patient remains stuck in an inescapable condition. Gradually patients cannot take mental rest even they take rest physically. The restlessness in mind often resultant exhaustion due to chronic insomnia.
Anxiety
Anxiety level has grown up in cancer patient due to the life-threatening condition. Cancer and its consequences are generally inducing pain. The painful life and fear for survival often create anxiety.
Symptoms of anxiety such as fast or irregular heartbeat, shaking, extreme worry, etc. often detected during screening, diagnosis, and cancer treatment.
Depression
After detection of cancer, tackle the fearful thought process is difficult. Cancer patients struggling hard to handle their paranoia, as their mind blocks in one way. Cancer patients often searching the answer to why she/he is the person in this world affected by this deadly disease. She/he starts blaming herself as well the entire world for this condition which gradually turns into a depressive condition.
How to overcome the condition?
Patients try to overcome the condition by taking help from councilor, social workers, though supports from family and friends are of utmost need to win the cancer battle. Following are some self-help process to nurture mental health:
- Connect with family and friends to get a consistent support system
- If you love pets, then spent some time with them
- Very much organized in terms of time and medications
- Spend as much as time with loved ones
- Take mindful breathing
- Embrace passion
- Listen to music and inspirational podcasts
- Make friends and connect with people who give you value or motivate you
- Read books, watch movies to enjoy your life.
- Record or write your cancer journey and give it to different social media and publication house to get live inspiration
- Believe in yourself. Do not lose self-confidence.
- Value every moment of life and do not take anything for granted as you are still alive.
References:
https://www.cancer.net/blog/2020-02/how-cope-with-impact-cancer-your-mental-health
https://www.cancerquest.org/patients/psychosocial-problems
