I often tell people who may be experiencing some difficulties with depression that there is no shame in having medical intervention and asking for a hand up. I often liken it to the fact that you can't run a car without oil and right now there is no oil in your car and you need to prime the pump so that medical intervention may be necessary. Reaching out to others to help with what your needs are, may be a difficult step but the isolation of not asking for help does more damage. There is also no reason to not ask for help except your own self imposed values. So today you need help, when you are back on your feet, you can help someone else. As silly as this sounds, that should be the circle of life. Throughout my life when I have hit a low spot, I realize, I need to do something for someone else and it doesn't have to be monetary or it could be but it does mean to get out with others determine the needs and help where you can and in doing so you have helped yourself. There still remains a stigma to having cancer and that in itself can increase the possibility of depression. By all means, allow yourself to laugh! Sometimes you wonder if laughing is appropriate but if it lightens the load, and can help promote a better perception of what lies ahead, then go ahead and laugh. Sometimes as caregivers(especially medical people) we have been told we have a warped sense of humor but that is often what keeps us going and knowing that we are making a difference. I hope your weekend brin
As caregivers, we often carry a heavy burden while supporting our love one through cancer and although we do this willingly it can also take a toll. What we also have to look at is that fact that the patient may not be the only one dealing with depression. With the diagnosis of cancer, we have financial concerns, family concerns, emotional and psychological concerns, treatment and prognostic concerns. Many times, an early indicator is the patient with cancer is less likely to make decisions regarding their treatment or possibly non-compliance and dropping out of treatment. The more limiting their lifestyle has become also puts them at a higher risk of depression and the more limitations the patient has, the more the caregiver must carry so that in all reality, both are dealing with depression. Religion/ Faith plays an important role in psychological well being of both. Support systems and sharing of roles, be it taking care of the house, paying the bills, and help with child care and more also influences how well a person copes with the struggles of dealing with cancer.
I often tell people who may be experiencing some difficulties with depression that there is no shame in having medical intervention and asking for a hand up. I often liken it to the fact that you can't run a car without oil and right now there is no oil in your car and you need to prime the pump so that medical intervention may be necessary. Reaching out to others to help with what your needs are, may be a difficult step but the isolation of not asking for help does more damage. There is also no reason to not ask for help except your own self imposed values. So today you need help, when you are back on your feet, you can help someone else. As silly as this sounds, that should be the circle of life. Throughout my life when I have hit a low spot, I realize, I need to do something for someone else and it doesn't have to be monetary or it could be but it does mean to get out with others determine the needs and help where you can and in doing so you have helped yourself. There still remains a stigma to having cancer and that in itself can increase the possibility of depression. By all means, allow yourself to laugh! Sometimes you wonder if laughing is appropriate but if it lightens the load, and can help promote a better perception of what lies ahead, then go ahead and laugh. Sometimes as caregivers(especially medical people) we have been told we have a warped sense of humor but that is often what keeps us going and knowing that we are making a difference. I hope your weekend brin
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AuthorMy name is Sue Kilburn and I am a clinical nurse breast cancer educator at the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Archives
March 2015
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