Study: Battling Cancer Can Result In PTSD In Survivors

Anyone who?s survived cancer will tell you: it?s a battlefield. Which is not to make light of the plight of?soldiers; when you spend months or even years in fear for you life, experiencing?excruciating?pain,?persistent?discomfort, and constant uncertainty, there are more than a few similarities between a combat situation and cancer treatment. Which the findings of a recent study at should bear no surprise: many of those who have lived through cancer suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

PTSD, which has gained a lot of national attention during the last 10 years (since we?ve been at war), is usually thought of as a military ailment, because it is most often seen in those who have lived through deployments overseas. But the anxiety disorder is common among many other groups of trauma survivors, including rape victims, those who have spent long amounts of time in solitary confinement in prison, survivors of natural disasters or terrorist attacks, and victims of domestic abuse.

The actual cause is unknown, but it is often brought on by intense emotional or physical trauma, and literally changes the way that the mind and body respond to stress or provocation.??And while sadness, anger, and grief are all common reactions to traumatic events, those who experience PTSD become unable to move past them. And it seems that many cancer patients are experiencing exactly that.

In a study led by Sophia Smith at the Duke Cancer Institute and reported on by Reuters, almost 40% of cancer survivors exhibited responses and behaviors of PTSD, including emotional numbness, pervasive, disturbing thoughts regarding cancer, re-experiencing the treatments or experience with cancer, and excessive jumpiness. 1 in 12 had full-blown PTSD, and those who were the lowest earners or were living in poverty were most likely to suffer, ostensibly because the cost of the care impacted them so strongly.

The researchers were concerned that, due to the fear and anxiety surrounding further medical treatment, there may be a large number of patients who aren?t seeking follow-up treatments or visits, and may be relapsing without noticing. However, there have been little to no studies on that matter.

There have also been few studies that look at how many cancer patients seek help for their mental health. PTSD is rarely associated with cancer, and a survivor who may think they are suffering and looks it up online will rarely find a PTSD site that contains information regarding people in their position.?And because of cancer?s prevalence (remember, 1 in 8 women will have invasive breast cancer at some point, and 1 in 3 will have some form of cancer), many survivors probably feel that ?moving on? is the normal course of action?rather than seeking help for?persistent?thoughts and anxiety.

And, the study also pointed out, that events which are often thought to be beneficial for survivors (like breast cancer awareness walks, etc.) may actually be more problematic some of those with PTSD; one in 20 of those studied said they avoided activities which reminded them of their disease or experience.

This particular study, however, can?t exactly speak for all cancer survivors? it looked at patients with non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma, which is common, but receives much less attention in the media than breast, colon, or prostate cancer. Survivors of other varieties of cancer may experience trauma differently.

Still, the psychological impact of surviving cancer isn?t to be sniffed at. Depression, anxiety, and extreme stress are all known to be residual effects of the disease, which takes a toll on both the body and mind. It?s no wonder that PTSD symptoms are common, too.

Image:?Cleo?/ Shutterstock

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Source: http://feeds.b5media.com/~r/b5media/sheknowsparties/~3/yPuGu8XVbbs/

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