Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) provides a range of support services for cancer patients, including psychological support.
As diagnosis of cancer can be challenging for patients and families, the psychosocial-oncology model of comprehensive care is adopted by the psychotherapy unit and endorsed by the NCCCR. It provides an open platform of support for patients and their families to enhance their healthy coping strategies and psychological resilience, says Head of NCCCR Psychotherapy Unit, Dr. Abdelhamid J Afana.
“The new model of service ensures that every patient receives individualised high-quality care to help them overcome many challenges brought in by cancer. It enables patients and their families to cope with their emotions, ideas, stressful events, deal with changes in life circumstances, overcome any feelings of distress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional distress, interpersonal and family life, and other matters that affect their overall equilibrium,” said Dr. Afana, who is also the Leader Counselling Services for Medical Residents and Course Lead Medical Communication in Mental Health Services at HMC.
For patients and their families, cancer is a challenging journey that requires help and contributions from various professionals, including mental health professionals. Patients and their families are caught between three significant burdens; the first is related to the nature of the disease, methods of treatments and medication side effects.
“Cancer is not like other chronic diseases, such as heart disease or diabetes that people have factual knowledge of. It is represented as a state of uncertainty and vagueness. The second is the burden of the personal affair that is linked to significant psychosocial challenges mainly related to intrusive ideas, assumptions, feelings and emotions that are caused by psychological imbalance,” said Dr. Afana in NCCCR’s latest edition of the news letter News and Views.
“Patients find it hard to share their thoughts, fears, experiences, psychological pains and emotions. The third burden is related to pity culture that increases the patient’s and their family’s distress and strains their logical/reality thinking and emotions. It also contributes to social isolation and avoidance. Finally, cancer is perceived as a paradoxical notion, making patients and families feel stigmatised and reluctant to seek help,” he added.
According to Dr. Afana, for many patients cancer is a word to be whispered in a quiet voice.
Many don’t feel comfortable discussing cancer and even refuse to pronounce it due to the fears it evokes.
“Consequently, many patients try to keep their anguish inside themselves. They think that suffering alone in silence is a sign of showing their strength and or is a strategy to keep beloved ones away from unnecessary pain.
“It is hard to blame them and our professional obligation is to provide a comprehensive psychosocial-oncology service enabling patients and families to pass their cancer journey with confidence and empowerment,” said Dr. Afana.
