Everybody gets worried at certain times in their life. It may result from misunderstanding with a loved one, uncertainty about promotion, uneasiness about an upcoming interview, tension over results or whatever have you.
Fear, worry, anxiety – these are negative thoughts that, some people experience even at the drop of a hat. However, these are very common when some serious matters like financial crisis or life-threatening illnesses cripple the otherwise smooth flow of our life.
Cancer & Anxiety
Anxiety is usually a temporary problem that vanishes as soon as the crisis is over. Unfortunately, for cancer patients, anxiety becomes a part and parcel of their life. It sets in as soon as a doctor at the best oncology hospital in Kolkata utters, “You have cancer”.
Scanxiety
According to reports, half of cancer survivors claim to experience anxiety and in some, the problem escalates to the level of post-traumatic stress disorder. Many patients become extremely anxious when undergoing diagnostic scanning or post-treatment image tests. This kind of anxiety has got a name – scanxiety. In fact, scanxiety sets in around the time a patient is due for scans. It goes away but comes back weeks or days before getting the report.
For the advanced-stage cancer patients, the trauma is much more than what the patients in the early-stages experience. This is because, cancer is curable in the early stages but in advanced stages, it is only treatable and many times, no treatment is available. Advanced-stage cancer patients, who receive treatment, live only from scans to scans.
Cancer patients experience scanxiety in the following three situations:
- In the days or even weeks before a scan test is scheduled to diagnose cancer, detect its spread, monitor its progress, assess effectiveness of a certain drug or figure out the recurrence
- Hours before and after the scan and during the process
- In the weeks or days before receiving the scan reports
Symptoms of Scanxiety
Anxiety is defined as a disturbing sense of fear. It can go up the level of doom or panic. Negative emotions accompany the cancer patients throughout the journey and even develop into an anxiety disorder, which is a persistent or recurring fear.
Symptoms of scanxiety are:
Ø Increased heart beats
Ø Shortness of breath
Ø Restlessness
Ø Muscle tightness
Ø Sweating
Ø Dizziness
Ø Nausea
Ø Trouble sleeping
Ø Mood swings
The symptoms of scanxiety vary from one person to another and during different phases of the imaging process.
How Can Cancer Patients Cope with Scanxiety?
Doctors at the reputed cancer hospitals in Kolkata suggest counselling and also prescribe some medication to control anxiety. However, honestly speaking, a pill cannot iron out the problem. Counsellors play a major role in such cases. They talk to the patients and teach them the ways to handle the situation.
Psychoeducation: This training combines education, group therapy and elements of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The aim is to educate patients with the basic knowledge of different aspects of depression and give them confidence that treatment can enable them to deal with the problem successfully.
Coping Skills Training: This training enables patients to endure and reduce stress by braving these situations.
Counsellors take a personalized approach while tutoring the patients. Such an approach makes thing easier for the patients and their personal goals achievable.