Psycho-oncologist. Who's that?
Psychooncology is a relatively new interdisciplinary field of medicine. In Poland, its beginning can be considered 1992, when the Polish Society of Psychooncology (PTPO) was founded. Thanks to the efforts of the Society, the Minister of Labor and Social Policy included psychooncologist in the list of professions in the group of "other professions in health care." In turn, the Health Minister's October 2014 regulation provides for at least a half-time psychologist or psychooncologist in the oncology department. Psychooncology deals with prevention and education of both patients and their relatives, as well as medical personnel. First and foremost, however, psycho-oncology is therapeutic activity - providing support to oncology patients, their loved ones and caregivers.
When to see a psycho-oncologist.
- At any stage of oncological disease, when the patient needs support - diagnosis, causal treatment, chemotherapy/radiotherapy, recovery, relapse, symptomatic treatment, palliative care. You can also apply if you need help "recovering" at the stage of completion of treatment, or even cure (5 years without relapse). This is when the consequences of the disease and the accompanying changes that accompany the cure may appear, in which you need to find yourself again (new roles). The psycho-oncologist also helps caregivers, loved ones and family of cancer patients to get through this difficult period. To anyone struggling with their own or a loved one's illness, not only at the time of established depression as a result of the disease or caregiving, but at any time during the illness when support is needed.
Psycho-oncologist can help:.
Mitigate the effects of the crisis at the time of diagnosis,
Provide support at every stage of treatment - prolonged stress can even lead to depression, which is why it is so important to "help tame anxiety," including fear of death (find out what the patient is afraid of, what he or she would like to ask the hospital staff),
Help express emotions, especially the most difficult ones,
Show how to skillfully communicate with loved ones,
Build new roles together with the patient (help them adapt in a new situation),
Educate the patient and his relatives on how to improve the quality of life, how to take care of themselves,
Do not give up hope.
The psycho-oncologist is not a doctor, however, he supports the patient, his relatives, caregivers in the fight against cancer. For psychological support during oncological treatment is essential, and in Polish hospitals patients are still left to their own devices. According to the report "Cancer Disease - Patients' Experiences" conducted in 2014, "in the Polish health care system, the patient is often terribly lonely and lost." From the moment of diagnosis, through treatment, to follow-up visits, patients are often accompanied by fear. That's why it's especially important for patients to have the support of a psycho-oncologist, and the first step is sometimes to "de-traumatize" the negatively communicated message from the doctor, thus helping them cope with the enormous stress that accompanies the patient from the beginning. In a study conducted by Dr. Caroline Le and Dr. Erica Sloan, it was found that chronic stress promotes the formation of lymphatic pathways in the body that facilitate the faster spread of cancer and give a greater likelihood of metastasis, so chronic stress can pose a great risk to people who have cancer. The psycho-oncologist finds time for the patient, normalizes his emotions. Extremely often, after all, the disease is a kind of mourning: for lost health, fitness, work, sometimes relationships. Few want to tell their loved ones about it. They hear that they must hold on, fight, that they must not cry. They feel stifled. They behave in extremes: either losing the ability to decide for themselves by becoming a "victim" of the disease, relying only on a caregiver, or being strong to the limit, performing tasks as they once did, proving to themselves and others that nothing has changed. Feeling alone, misunderstood, lost, while not wanting to burden anyone with their problem. It is not without reason that it is said that when one person gets sick - the whole family gets sick, so psychological support should be extended to whole families, especially since those who are close and caring are often overlooked in the oncological disease, as those who fulfill a duty, and therefore are not seen and heard with their emotions. Such help is most needed by all in the so-called "difficult moments" (though of course not only) - at the beginning of the disease, i.e. at the time of diagnosis, then during chemotherapy, when the patient may feel mentally unwell, or at the time of relapse, when there is another crisis, lack of strength, lack of will to fight. It is important to support the recovery of oneself, in the fight not only against the disease, but also to improve the quality of life during and after cancer. A study from SWPS Wrocław University indicated that the sense of quality of life in cancer is influenced by the belief in personal control and that the patient can control the course of treatment. "The level of quality of life increases when the patient has the belief that treatment can have a positive effect and that doctors are properly directing treatment. This feeling influences a better quality of life in the disease, both physically, emotionally, socially and symptomatically," says Izabela Pawlowska of SWPS Wrocław University, authors of a study conducted on 112 people with a lung cancer diagnosis at three intervals: a few days after treatment, one month after and four months after surgery to remove the tumor. Thus, the family can help by strengthening internal resources, i.e. mental strength, optimism or a flexible approach to experience. The psychologist, in turn, works with the patient to increase a sense of control over life and change attitudes toward the disease, and educates on coping strategies. "We detected another extremely important relationship. Patients who were confident that they could effectively manage their emotions and pain in the month after lung cancer surgery had a better quality of life 4 months after surgery. Above all, such patients experienced fewer symptoms of the disease and had better physical well-being," said Professor Aleksandra Luszczynska, who participated in the research project. So this shows that psycho-oncological help, working on emotions, taming anxiety, educating, supporting results in a sense of regained control and better quality of life in cancer patients. Of course, you can't assume how long therapy in a psychologist/psycho-oncologist's office should last, it doesn't have to be long, however, it's important not to be alone, to come for a consultation, to talk. If any of you is struggling with cancer, is a loved one, caregiver of such a person, does not know how to talk, or how to help, even if it is not about a loved one, but for example: a co-worker, struggling with a new role after cancer, or with the loss of a loved one who was ill - I encourage you to come and talk.
Author: Magdalena Shafie
