Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems

March 10, 2015

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: What you dint know about the two complications

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems is very important. The chronic nature of cancer can be very devastating to patients

Psychological stress refer to how people feel when they are challenged mentally, physically, or emotionally by life pressures a round them. Practically it may be normal and in order to experience some psychological stress periodically, however if this experience is extended over a long period of time, it may result in the development of certain health complications. We appreciate that normal psychological stress will always be here with us, but we are equally concern with the consistency of psychological stress and cancer complications, that is why we want to take time in addressing the psychological stress and cancer problems in this article. We are going to be relying heavily on the experience of experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care. Doctor Akoury has been in this practice for more than two decades and she explains that “stress can be caused both by daily responsibilities and routine events, as well as by more unusual events, such as a trauma or illness in oneself or a close family member”. When people feel that they are unable to manage or control changes caused by cancer or normal life activities, they are in distress. Distress has become increasingly recognized as a factor that can reduce the quality of life of cancer patients. There is even some evidence that extreme distress is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Clinical guidelines are available to help doctors and nurses assess levels of distress and help patients manage it.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with some of the general introduction to the stress that people may experience as they cope with cancer. Nonetheless you can get more detailed information about specific psychological conditions related to stress on call to AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care. Therefore you can schedule for that appointment today and be the first to know from the experts.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Reactions of the body during stress

The body reacts to all the physical, mental, or emotional pressure by discharging stress hormones like as epinephrine and norepinephrine.
These hormones in turn increases blood pressure, speed up heart rate, and raise blood sugar levels.
These changes help a person act with greater strength and speed to escape a perceived threat.

Besides these reactions experts have also established that people who experience intense and long-term stress can have digestive problems, fertility problems, urinary problems, and a weakened immune system. However people who experience chronic stress are also more prone to viral infections such as the flu or common cold and to have headaches, sleep trouble, depression, and anxiety.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Effects of psychological stress on cancer

Even though stress is associated with several health complications, there is no clear scientific evidence that it can cause cancer. Nonetheless some studies have pointed out an association between various psychological factors as an increased risk of developing cancer. Such risk could be explained in the following ways.

If one is under the influence of stress he is likely to entertain certain behaviors like smoking, overeating or drinking alcohol actions which increase a person’s risk for cancer. Or genetically if you have in your lineage one who had suffered from cancer, then you may have a higher risk suffering from the same because of a shared inherited risk factor and not because of the stress induced by the family member’s diagnosis.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Effects of psychological stress on Cancer survivors

People who have cancer may find the physical, emotional, and social effects of the disease to be stressful. Those who attempt to manage their stress with risky behaviors such as smoking or drinking alcohol or who become more sedentary may have a poorer quality of life after cancer treatment. In contrast, people who are able to use effective coping strategies to deal with stress, such as relaxation and stress management techniques, have been shown to have lower levels of depression, anxiety, and symptoms related to the cancer and its treatment. However, there is no evidence that successful management of psychological stress improves cancer survival.

According to a study conducted in women with triple-negative breast cancer who had gone through neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment, when they were asked about their use of beta blockers, which are medications that interfere with certain stress hormones, before and during chemotherapy. Those who had used beta blockers registered a better chance of surviving their cancer treatment without a relapse than women who did not use. And in relation to their overall survival no much difference was reported. It must be noted that even though there is no strong evidence that stress directly affects cancer outcomes, some statistics suggest that patients can develop a sense of helplessness or hopelessness when stress becomes overwhelming. A lot more needs to be done for this to be clear however this response has been strongly associated with higher rates of death of many cancer patients. Probably this could be as a result that those who feel helpless or hopeless normally don’t seek for treatment when they become ill. In other words they give up prematurely on or fail to adhere to potentially helpful therapy and engage in risky behaviors such as drug use or do not maintain a healthy lifestyle, resulting in premature death.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Educating people who have cancer on how to cope with psychological stress

One of the primary objectives of the formation of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is to create awareness about various health conditions. At this facility, we believe that emotional and social support is very instrumental in giving patients hope and encouragement of coping with psychological stress. Such support impacts positively in reducing the levels of depression, anxiety, diseases and treatment solutions related to symptoms among patients. The following guidelines can be very helpful:

Training in relaxation, meditation or stress management
Counseling or talk therapy
Cancer education sessions
Social support in a group setting
Medications for depression or anxiety
Exercise

Finally it may not be possible for us to document everything in the article, and therefore we want to have a working relationship with you in the fight of kicking out disease out of our societies. We would therefore make an appeal to anyone reading this right now to make that very important appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and doctor Dalal Akoury will not only take you through what you’re missing, but also to offer your real time treatment solutions you desperately needs right now.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: What you dint know about the two complications

How common is addiction in healthcare

March 5, 2014

How common is addiction in healthcare-Addressing Specialties risks

As many as 10% of those in healthcare are battling addiction, professionals battling with drug addiction is seem extreme .

Physicians treated for addiction have recently become the focus of high quality, evidence based outcome research published in peer-reviewed journals. The results of this research indicate that the treatment of physicians is profoundly effective when properly executed. As a policy there are three important areas of addiction among healthcare and other licensed professionals, including issues related to stigma, the effective response to the problem of addiction among professionals, and the interrelation and integration of medical, legal, and sociological issues regarding addiction in this particular population.

Several factors are involved in the etiological differences of addiction as it manifests in the special population of healthcare and other licensed professionals.

First, one group of professionals (healthcare providers) have greater access to addictive drugs in their workplace, which can accelerate and complicate the onset and progression of the disease.

Secondly, healthcare professional training creates a level of comfort and an associated false sense of immunity to the dangers of drug use. Having technical knowledge about the pharmacology of drugs does not protect susceptible individuals from becoming addicted to such drugs and, in fact, may actually predispose susceptibility.

Thirdly, all healthcare and other licensed professionals with addictive illness face tremendous prejudice based on stigma and fear which make them hesitant to admit a problem or seek assistance. Lastly and importantly, as with other safety-sensitive occupations, healthcare and other licensed professionals with untreated, potentially impairing conditions have the potential to place the public at risk.

Many individuals and agencies play a role in the care and coordination of the addicted healthcare and other licensed professionals. For the purposes of this article, we have focused on four critical entities:

The population of healthcare and other licensed professionals with the disease of addiction.
The specialty treatment programs where these persons receive clinical care.
The various Physicians / Professionals Health Programs (PHPs) which provide continuing care monitoring and earned advocacy.
State-specific license agencies and other comparable regulatory agencies.

These entities, as defined, have an interrelated and often symbiotic role in both the successful rehabilitation and recovery of the addicted professional, and the safety and welfare of the public.

How common is addiction in healthcare-The Addicted Professional

The disease of addiction produces characteristic behaviors. The characteristics and circumstances of the patient who is, himself or herself, a professional are unique. These issues be considered and managed during treatment and post-treatment recovery. These policies address physician patients who are part of a professional cohort; but include other licensed professionals including, but not limited to, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, psychologists, commercial pilots, attorneys, law enforcement officials, as well as any cohort who provides a public service that could impact the public health, safety, and welfare. Each of these groups is unique in the perception of their disease, their experience of addiction-induced shame, and the necessary coping skills to ensure successful long-term recovery.

Some of these professional groups share strong similarities; however, each specific group should be treated by providers knowledgeable, skilled and experienced in understanding the distinctive educational background, psychological characteristics, work environment, professional culture, social factors, and specific licensure and regulatory agency processes related to each particular cohort of addiction treatment recipients.

How common is addiction in healthcare-Addiction Treatment Programs for Healthcare (ATPs)

Addiction Treatment Programs for healthcare and other licensed professionals specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of addictive and/or mental illnesses in healthcare and other licensed professionals. These clinical programs possess expertise in dealing with issues specific to these populations of ill individuals; some ATPs have expertise in one or more subjects of professionals. ATPs provide a multidisciplinary spectrum of therapeutic services, addressing the biologic, psychosocial, family, and spiritual components of these disease states.

One important element in specialized Addiction Treatment Programs is the presence of a cohort of like-professionals. This peer relating during treatment decreases the isolation and enhances the interdependent learning necessary for effective treatment. ATPs for professionals have extensive experience with and knowledge of the stress and triggers in the work and home environment specific to the professional cohort being treated. This information is used to focus the treatment on cohort-specific issues, encourages reintegration into a healthy home and work environment, and ultimately promotes a sustained successful recovery. The most comprehensive programs manage multiple psychiatric diseases, complex medical conditions, psychological co-morbidity along with a broad spectrum of addictive disorders.

Many facilities that treat addicted professionals provide comprehensive evaluation services as well. Some evaluation programs are organized as separate entities from ATPs, while others are integrated with treatment facilities. Evaluation centers must exhibit a proven track record in understanding the complex multifunctional and insidious nature of addiction among healthcare and other licensed professionals. They should utilize a multidisciplinary team of individuals with specific expertise in distinct but interrelated specialties.
How common is addiction in healthcare-Professionals Health Programs (PHPs)

A Professionals Health Program has mutually symbiotic dual roles of enhancing public safety and facilitating the successful rehabilitation and practice re-entry of healthcare and other licensed professionals with potentially impairing medical conditions. Professionals Health Programs (PHPs) provide a confidential conduit for ill professionals to access a comprehensive evaluation and any necessary subsequent treatment.

When a professional with a potentially impairing illness becomes involved with a Professionals Health Program (PHP) and no harm to the public has been identified, he or she is ideally enrolled in an alternative pathway to professional discipline. PHPs provide the availability of a non-disciplinary alternative with rehabilitation and accountability being emphasized, facilitated, and carefully documented over time. The PHPs continuous, skilled and documented monitoring of the professionals recovery status and associated earned advocacy further promotes the public safety.

PHPs are exceptionally distinct in their ability to provide early identification, intervention, and referral for evaluation and/or treatment. They also conduct three types of post-treatment monitoring: behavioral, chemical, and work-site evaluations. Their success is largely attributable to this tri-partite model of recovery monitoring. The intervention, referral and post-treatment monitoring services offered by PHP’s are generally conceptualized as being distinct from the clinical services offered by ATPs.

PHPs educate the medical community about addiction among professionals, the risks of addiction in professionals and the recognition of the subtle signs and symptoms of addiction in the workplace. Such education and prevention services further enhance public safety by encouraging earlier detection and referral to treatment when appropriate.
How common is addiction in healthcare-Regulatory Agencies (RAs)

These are agencies of state government charged with credentialing and granting licenses to professionals and assuring to the public at large that the conduct of the professional meets professional and statutory standards. State statutes mandate the regulation of selected professions to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare or other services necessary to the public health, safety, and welfare. They investigate the practice of licensees and have authority to address those who violate the state’s professional practice acts or comparable legislation. Their primary mission is to protect the public.

Addiction rehabilitation requires an understanding of the inter-organizational complexities along with associated expertise in the interrelated management of addicted professionals to the benefit of the public we serve. This understanding of addiction rehabilitation among professionals facilitates the interaction by and between Addiction Treatment Programs, Regulatory Agencies, and the Professionals Health Programs.

How common is addiction in healthcare-Addressing Specialties risks

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