Taking Control of Life With Cancer
You may have cancer, but you’re still in the driver’s seat (The first in a two-post series) Within days of her breast cancer diagnosis, Elizabeth, 42, said she found herself on a speeding train, carrying her through treatment. “I felt like I didn’t have control over anything,” she recalled. “Once you’re diagnosed, it’s full steam ahead. I hardly had time to process the diagnosis and I was booked immediately for multiple tests, doctors’ appointments, then surgery. I couldn’t c
Impact of Music Therapy on Anxiety in Cancer Patients
Music therapy and a customized playlist might help patients chill during radiation therapy “Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak,” penned English playwright and poet William Congreve. Could this phrase, written during the early 1700s, hold the keys to helping patients soothe the savage anxiety and stress they face during cancer treatments? Seventy-eight patients with newly diagnosed cancer enrolled in a study examining the impact
Cancer-Related Distress and Fatigue: Group Interventions
Self-hypnosis: A two-for-one deal When it comes to psychosocial interventions for cancer patients, not all approaches are created equal. In a study comparing three different group interventions, only one resulted in decreased emotional distress and fatigue. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of three psychosocial group interventions to reduce sleep difficulties, fatigue and emotional distress in patients with breast cancer. A total of 123 patients participated in a cogni
Boosting Appearance-Related Self-Esteem
Mirror, mirror on the wall. Do I look like myself at all? Managing the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment can be particularly challenging for patients who aren’t feeling well. A recent study shows a psychosocial program, “Health in the Mirror,” can help women adapt better and more quickly to issues related to changes in appearance during cancer treatment. After an initial psychological assessment, 83 females with cancer began the three-part “Health in the Mir
How Nature Helps Reduce Stress
The Healing Nature of Forest Bathing (The first in a two-post blog series) Most people will tell you they feel better after a walk in the woods. Researchers can now identify why. Their findings have given rise to growing interest in a Japanese mind-body practice known as forest bathing (shinrin-yoku). It doesn’t involve standing under a woodsy waterfall, swimming in a stream pool, or a trail walk in the rain. In fact, forest bathing rarely involves water. Forest bathing is ga
