Tag Archives: Distress and cancer

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Distressful cancer treatment period

September 5, 2016
Distressful cancer treatment

Distressful cancer treatment period alongside tolerance can cause jittery in the treatment process

Distressful cancer treatment period: Cancer surgery

The distressful cancer treatment period can be very disturbing. Like for instance the waiting for surgery is another time of major concern. People often worry about the operation itself, but also about whether the cancer is growing while they wait. Fears about the changes that surgery will cause can be a major source of distress, too. Then there are concerns about work and home life and how they may change. Insurance and financial issues often add to the worries. For some people, one of the hardest times is after cancer treatment. Rather than feeling happy that treatment is over, they feel even greater distress. One patient put it this way: “I’m on my own now and I’m just waiting to see what will happen next.” From that statement you notice that this patient is very distress even though treatment has been concluded.

Seeing the oncologist (cancer doctor) after treatment can feel quite scary. Nearly everyone has some fear the cancer will come back (recur). This is normal, too. “Every time I have aches and pains, I’m convinced it’s the cancer coming back even if it’s a pain in my big toe,” one patient said.

Distressful cancer treatment period: Everything about cancer is stressful

Dealing with the side effects of treatment such as tiredness (fatigue), hair loss, weight changes, and how disrupted your life seems is also stressful. In fact, everything about having cancer is stressful. Being upset and worried are part of it, so a certain amount of distress is expected when you find you have cancer. But sometimes distress can go from the expected level to one that interferes with your treatment, makes it hard for you to cope with the illness, and affects all parts of your life.

It’s not a sign of weakness that you become so distressed that it interferes with your ability to do your usual activities. When you visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, our team of experts will explain for you the range of distress from what is considered normal to very high and offer some ideas about how to handle your feelings in ways that will be helpful. The very first thing you need to do in coping with distress is consulting with your doctors and cancer support team. Talking to them about how you feel will make you feel much safer. Their purpose is to help you get better and if they notice something that needs to be addressed, then they will direct you to the help you need. Remember that these people are only here to help you not just for the cancer treatment, but they are also counting on you to tell them how you are doing and what you are feeling. This is one assignment that you are the only one that can do and no one else.

Finally when addressing distress of cancer patients, the scope is not just limited to them but it is also applies to their loved ones. These people are a strong source of support, and their well-being is important, too in the delivery of successful treatment. Therefore if you are a loved one and feel distressed, it’s OK to let the cancer care team knows that you need help. You can also schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for much more professional assistance.

Distressful cancer treatment period: Cancer surgery

 

 

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The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief

July 31, 2015

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Substance abuse provides temporary relief from stress

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief is one that should not be taken seriously because the consequences can be life threatening.

Over the years research has established that the effects of stress on human life can damage individual’s mental and physical well-being. Despite of this establishment, we are somehow bound to be stressed in life owing to the nature of life’s demands today.  Experts are very categorical that stress will always be there and reasonable stress may not be bad anyway however, our inability to deal with stress effectively when it strikes is the problem we need to work on. Ordinarily and this is where we all miss the point, when we are faced with stressful situations and circumstances we often go for the wrong elements of solutions. Doctor Dalal Akoury a respected drug addiction experts registered that one of the ways that people often run to for help is the use of alcohol or drugs. Whereas this type of self-medication can provide temporary relief, it however important to note that this is ultimately self-defeating. The consequences is that the individual will have more stress in their life than ever before and besides that they will lose their strength and ability to handle it progressively. Therefore the illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief is misleading and dangerous. Nonetheless there are so many different techniques that people can use to better manage stress effectively. We will be discussing some of those ways as we progress into the discussion and therefore I request you to stay on the link to the conclusion of this article and you will not regret it.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Stress Defined

People often struggle to give the precise definition of stress yet in their life this word is used almost on a daily basis. A lot of us will give numerous examples of what stress does in an attempt to define the adjective however giving the precise specification of what stress is remains an uphill task to many a challenge that we want to pull off your shoulders now. Ideally stress is very subjective and people are even struggling to agree primarily on which things are stressful and those that are not. Like for instance so many people will be taken off gourd and fell stressed when they are asked to make a public speech, and yet again for others this won’t be such a big deal. We are all different as to what stressed us but we all have the common fact that despite being different on how and what stress us, we are all getting stressed at one point or another.

Therefore we can make several definitions of stress and one way of defining stress would be to simply register that it is the body’s way of dealing with a demand at any given time. This will involve the release of different chemicals in the body in preparation to taking action. It is also important to appreciate that the fight or flight response is produced by the body when there is a sense of danger. We may not shy away from the fact that stress has developed a bad reputation in our lives and societies, but the again it is also somehow essential for survival. That is because if people didn’t react to external events they would be in great danger from those events. Besides that stress can also be highly beneficial when it comes to preparation for exams or other important events. Does that surprise you? If it does I will explain for your understanding. From various studies it has been established that stress can encourage people to put in a lot of effort and it keeps them focused to their ultimate goal whether it is an exam or any other thing they want to excel in. now that we are all at par with what stress is, let us further into the discussion by addressing some of the elements that triggers stress.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Stressors – Triggers of stress response

Anything that triggers the stress response is referred to as a stressor. Therefore some of the most common stressors include:

  • Sudden death of a loved one
  • Consistent conflicts at work or home
  • Chronic Illnesses
  • Overwork and undue targets
  • Poor time management
  • Legal problems
  • Major life changes such as changing house or job
  • Relationship breakdown
  • Unhealthy habits such as substance abuse

It may not be possible to put all the stressors here on paper because they are many and diversified but these are just a few that may help you know what are likely to cause you stress so that you can take action accordingly.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: The dangers of chronic stress

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of this health facility, it is important to understand that the moment people spend a lot of time feeling stressed, a lot of changes will take effect in their lives. Like for instance when one is stressed he or she can begin to feel the effects of stress which can cause damage both physically and mentally. This is because the chemicals associated with the stress response are only meant to be in the bloodstream for short periods. Those who are chronically stressed will have such chemicals working overtime. Therefore, the following are some of the dangers of chronic stress that we need to take note of:

  • Chronic stresscauses the immune system to become less effective. This is because stress forces the immune system to release chemicals so that they end up being overused. Instead of helping people fight off infections, these chemicals begin to damage the individual’s own organs. This can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes among other chronic complications.
  • Chronic stress leads to fatigue and depression. Those who are dealing with a lot of stress in their lives will have poor mental health.
  • It can increase the risk of developing ulcers and digestive problems.
  • Many people who are dealing with chronic stress will turn to substance abuse.

Finally we will certainly continue with this discussion in our subsequent articles but in the meantime, it is important that if you are stressed and using the wrong substance for relief, it is time for you to choose life and live it in a healthy way. Doctor Akoury is an expert in all lines of addiction and your stressful life is one that she will help you fix in the most professional way if only you can schedule for an appointment with her today for the commencement of your treatment and full recovery.

The illusion that substance abuse offers stress relief: Substance abuse provides temporary relief from stress

 

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Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer

May 2, 2015

Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer: What is normal or abnormal?

Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer

Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer will help in offering quality ant timely treatment solutions.

With the prevalence of chronic diseases like cancer, there are certain questions that we need to answer well if we want to keep distance from such diseases. Being distressful is one common problem that is associated with cancer, and this brings us to the first question to respond to. “How do you know when your distress level is normal or more serious?” according to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, responding to this question directly may be very difficult due to the fact that some distress are normal and are expected when one is struggling with cancer. However doctor Akoury, who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, says that certain signs and symptoms can warn you that your distress level is too high and is becoming serious. Some of those sign and symptoms may include:

  • Feeling flabbergasted to the point of panic
  • Being overcome by a sense of anxiety
  • Being overwhelmed with sadness to the point that you think you won’t make it through treatment
  • Being unusually irritable and angry
  • Feeling unable to cope with pain, tiredness, and nausea
  • Poor concentration, fuzzy thinking and sudden memory problems
  • Having difficulties in making certain decisions including very little and simple things.
  • Feeling hopeless – wondering if there is any point in going on
  • Thinking about cancer and death all the time
  • Trouble getting to sleep or early waking (getting less than 4 hours of sleep a night)
  • Trouble eating (a decrease in appetite, or no appetite) for a few weeks
  • Family conflicts and issues that seem impossible to resolve
  • Questioning your faith and religious beliefs that once gave you comfort
  • Feeling worthless and useless

Understanding the distress in people with cancer can be very complicated because a lot of things can be involved. Like for instance in some cases and many of them historical things from the past may put you or your loved one in danger of greater distress and in need of help. The following are some examples of past events that can cause distress to be worse when you have cancer:

  • Having a loved one who died from cancer
  • Having a recent serious illness or death of someone close to you
  • Having had depression or suicidal thoughts in the past
  • Memories of painful events from your past that come back as nightmares or panic attacks

If any of these describe you or a loved one, then you need to talk to your doctor immediately for direction. This could be an indication that you need help in dealing with distress. Remember that currently doctors and nurses and even other health professionals have established that emotional distress is closely associated with having cancer and should be treated along with the physical symptoms of cancer. If you are looking for the best cancer treatment centers, remember to have this problem of distress treatment in mind. Look for facilities that offer both cancer and distress treatment all together.

Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer: Tools to help measure distress

Sometimes it’s hard to talk about distress in a way that helps your cancer care team understand how much distress you’re having and how it’s affecting you. There’s a distress tool that’s much like a pain scale to help measure your distress. The pain scale works like this:

When asking about pain, the doctor might say, “How is your pain right now on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 the worst pain you can imagine?” This has proved to be a helpful way to measure pain. A score above 5 is a sign of significant pain, and tells the cancer care team that the patient needs more help to manage it.

Some cancer teams measure distress in the same way, using a 0 to 10 scale. Just as with the pain scale, you are asked to choose the number from 0 to 10 that reflects how much distress you feel today and how much you felt over the past week. Ten is the highest level of distress you can imagine, and 0 is no distress. Most people can use this scale to rate their distress in a way that helps the cancer team. If your response is 4 or more, you are likely to have a moderate-to-high degree of distress. Your doctor and/or cancer team should find out more and offer some help with your distress.

Not only does this tool tell your team about your emotional health, but it also gives you a chance to talk and work out problems during your visit. Surveys done in cancer clinics have shown that up to 4 in 10 patients have significant levels of distress. It therefore means that no matter how distressful you may be, you are not alone in your distress situation.

Another part of the distress tool is the “Problem List,” or a list of things that may be causing your distress. For this, you read through a list of common problems and mark possible reasons for your distress. This helps your doctor to know whom you need to see to get help. The list of physical problems helps you remember those you should tell your treatment team about.

Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer: Do you need extra help for your distress?

People are affected differently with some people having a higher risk of serious distress. Like for instance if you have any of these experiences, then you will need some extra help:

  • Have had depression or other major mental health problems in the past
  • Have made a suicide attempt in the past
  • Suffer from other serious medical problems besides cancer
  • Have communication problems (such as a different language, trouble reading, or hearing problems)
  • Have some type of social or family problems
  • Have ever been physically or sexually abused
  • Are younger
  • Are female
  • Live alone
  • Have limited access to medical care
  • Have young children in the home
  • Lived with very high stress levels (even before the cancer)
  • Have ever abused alcohol or drugs
  • Have financial problems
  • Have spiritual or religious concerns
  • Have uncontrolled symptoms

Both you and your cancer care team may also notice when there are times when you are at risk for greater distress during the course of illness and treatment. Cancer is often said to be “like being on a roller coaster.” These times for more distress are often at points of change in the illness and treatment:

  • Finding a suspicious new symptom
  • During work-up and diagnosis
  • Waiting to start treatment
  • Changing treatment
  • Going home from the hospital
  • Finishing treatment
  • Going back to your cancer doctor for follow-up visits
  • Going back to a “normal” life after treatment
  • Cancer comes back
  • Treatment doesn’t work
  • Cancer gets worse or becomes advanced
  • Nearing the end of life
  • Going into hospice care

If your distress reaches moderate to severe levels at these times, you may need extra help. And up on understanding the distress in people with cancer, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for that much needed professional help.

Understanding the Distress in People with Cancer: What is normal or abnormal?

 

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Identifying Distress in People with Cancer

May 2, 2015

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: What is distress?

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer. Distress suffering is not just physical but also emotional and psychological

If you have been in company of any cancer patient you need not to be told o the suffering those cancer patients go through. The suffering is not just physical but also emotional and psychological. These put together brings a lot of distress to patients and if not addressed, treatment becomes very difficult. It is because of this reasons that we want to focus our discussion towards identifying distress in people with cancer. To do this we are going to be speaking to experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care. Distress is a word with many connotations. However for our discussion we are going to use “distress” to describe unpleasant feelings or emotions that may cause problems for you as you cope with cancer disease and its treatment. It is also important to note that distress is also common with the family members and loved ones of people with cancer. Doctor Akoury says that distress is a big hindrance in cancer treatment and can make it harder to deal with all the changes that come with a cancer diagnosis. When we talk about being distressed in normal circumstances it would mean that you are feeling:

  • Unhappy or sad
  • Hopeless
  • Powerless or helpless
  • Afraid and fearful
  • Guilty
  • Anxious
  • Panic
  • Discouraged
  • Depressed
  • Uncertain

The impact of stress can be very complicated when dealing with cancer since it may affect areas of your life other than your feelings. It can affect your thoughts, your behavior, and how you interact with others says doctor Akoury.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: How to know when your distress level is normal or more serious?

Being stressed or distressful can be normal in our daily lives. Actually we all at one time have been stressed while handling our daily activities. The same applies with certain amount of distress when you or a loved one has cancer. These kinds of distress are caused, in part, because of the attitudes and fears people have about cancer. Like for instance, one of the greatest fears people have is that cancer means death or will ultimately lead to death. Nonetheless this idea of cancer leading to death is not true and unfounded. The truth is that today we have millions of people who have had cancer but have survived through the available treatment available in various health facilities.

Of course, people are upset when they learn they have cancer no matter how much progress has been made in treating it. There are many things that suddenly seem uncertain further explaining why identifying distress in people with cancer is very important. The challenges that people have include the worries about changes that will happen to their bodies when attacked by cancer. How their loved ones will cope with this situation and all other things that are likely to happen. The fear of a bleak future dons on them and people often wonder in silence or aloud that “Am I going to die?” and worries as to “why is this happening to me?”

And because cancer is hereditary, once you learn that you or a loved one has cancer, you may no longer feel safe. You may feel afraid, exposed, weak, and vulnerable. Such feelings often last through treatment, and you may feel anxiety and sadness, too. Doctor Akoury says that it’s normal to worry, especially at certain times, such as at the commencement of treatment. A recovering cancer patient acknowledges that, the worst time for him was waiting for that first chemo treatment. “Once it was over, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, I was OK. I actually felt better because I was finally doing something about the cancer” says the patient.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: Cancer Surgery

Waiting for surgery is another time of major concern. People often worry about the operation itself, but also about whether the cancer is growing while they wait. Fears about the changes that surgery will cause can be a major source of distress, too. Then there are concerns about work and home life and how they may change. Insurance and financial issues often add to the worries. For some people, one of the hardest times is after cancer treatment. Rather than feeling happy that treatment is over, they feel even greater distress. One patient put it this way: “I’m on my own now and I’m just waiting to see what will happen next.” From that statement you notice that this patient is very distress even though treatment has been concluded.

Seeing the oncologist (cancer doctor) after treatment can feel quite scary. Nearly everyone has some fear the cancer will come back (recur). This is normal, too. “Every time I have aches and pains, I’m convinced it’s the cancer coming back even if it’s a pain in my big toe,” one patient said.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: Everything about cancer is Stressful

Dealing with the side effects of treatment such as tiredness (fatigue), hair loss, weight changes, and how disrupted your life seems is also stressful. In fact, everything about having cancer is stressful. Being upset and worried are part of it, so a certain amount of distress is expected when you find you have cancer. But sometimes distress can go from the expected level to one that interferes with your treatment, makes it hard for you to cope with the illness, and affects all parts of your life.

It’s not a sign of weakness that you become so distressed that it interferes with your ability to do your usual activities. When you visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, our team of experts will explain for you the range of distress from what is considered normal to very high and offer some ideas about how to handle your feelings in ways that will be helpful. The very first thing you need to do in coping with distress is consulting with your doctors and cancer support team. Talking to them about how you feel will make you feel much safer. Their purpose is to help you get better and if they notice something that needs to be addressed, then they will direct you to the help you need. Remember that these people are only here to help you not just for the cancer treatment, but they are also counting on you to tell them how you are doing and what you are feeling. This is one assignment that you are the only one that can do and no one else.

Finally when addressing distress of cancer patients, the scope is not just limited to them but it is also applies to their loved ones. These people are a strong source of support, and their well-being is important, too in the delivery of successful treatment. Therefore if you are a loved one and feel distressed, it’s OK to let the cancer care team knows that you need help. You can also schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for much more professional assistance.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: What is distress?

 

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