With a cancer diagnosis, comes great change in lifestyle and can be greatly strenuous on an individual's mental health. Most cancer patients go through the initial phase of denial. Of course, everyone's journey to acceptance varies. The entire course of chemotherapy and sticking to a strict schedule also add to a patient's anxiety.
This life changing experience causes a lot of distress to the affected person and the people around them. Daily rituals and responsibilities are now unstable and patients are forced to adapt to a new way of life. Recognizing these flags is the first step of getting help. As much as taking care of their physical state is of utmost importance their minds should also be given equal attention as much as possible in order to regain a complete and full cycle of recovery. As exhausting as recovery can be, it can also provide the gift of perspective. An opportunity to possess a more positive and meaningful outlook towards life and the experiences to be gained from it.
(AMS) Altered mental status and delirium have a high incidence rate among cancer patients and it is known to increase dramatically towards the end of life. We can give many names to all these mental diseases, often more powerful than cancer itself which is why their importance should be tremendously increased and after almost every round of chemo, it is vital that the patient has someone they trust around them so they can have someone other than the white coat daily individuals to rely on and have them lend a shoulder to cry on.
It is quite a journey from diagnosis to the hopeful end goal of recovery in cancer but the whole roller coaster of feelings and emotions is a wild ride in itself. Here’s to raising awareness on the mental health of cancer patients to be as important if not more than their physical health.
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