I am posting this here rather than in the Articles Forum because I think it is a topic that bears discussion. Here is a link to an article discussing how psychological intervention directly improves patient health in bc:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95357.php
IMO, some form of counseling should be offered all patients immediately after diagnosis. We are asked to cope with a life changing diagnosis, treatment decisions, treatment side effects that severely impact our QOL and ability to work and care for our families and our initimate relationships, deal with prejudice and/or thoughtless remarks by strangers, co-workers and even family, all with only the psychological resources that we are able to muster on our own. Many doctors responses to the emotional needs of bc patients end with a prescription for either anti-depressants or dissociative drugs.
The study in the article above focused on stress management, where patients:
"met weekly in groups of 8 to 12 with a clinical psychologist. These sessions, which lasted four months, included training on relaxation and coping with stress, strategies to improve health behaviors, information on the value of exercise, communication skills for dealing with physicians, and other related issues. After four months of these weekly meetings, participants met monthly for another eight months. . . . Results showed that the use of relaxation techniques was most effective in controlling stress. Learning relaxation, as well as techniques to communicate with doctors, strategies for increasing physical activity and how to deal with stress all were related with fewer symptoms and signs associated with disease."
I saw a study last year that I did not post, that said that bc survivors are 25% more likely to commit suicide than the general population (the higher the stage at dx, the more likely). Clearly, there are huge unmet needs in this area. IMO, we need to demand more of the medical system.
I am interested in how others feel about this.
Hopeful
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