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Showing results for tags 'stress'.
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Did you know that psyche is involved in cancer process? I am biologist, so have found that this issue is very important. More and more researches prove that chronic stressful state of mind creates predisposition towards development of cancer by weakening the immune response and other anti-cancer defence systems. For example, in a study carried out in the University of Manchester in the UK, 1,596 women were psychologically examined before the mammogram. Those who experienced psychotraumatic stress (death of a loved one, loss of significant relationships, physical trauma, health problems with close relatives, and/or marital problems) some time before the examination had a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers from the University of Marburg (Germany), who examined a group of women with a tumor in the mammary gland before the biopsy, came to the same conclusion. Women whose tumor turned out to be malignant had experienced much greater stress due to the loss of a loved one than women with benign tumors. Swedish scientists (University of Goteborg), for twenty-four years observed 1,462 women aged 38 to 60. The analysis showed that those who experienced stress for five years at the beginning of the observation period were twice as likely to develop breast cancer as women without stress. In Israel, 6,284 parents whose children died in 1970–1977 due to war or accident were observed for twenty years. A significant increase in the incidence of cancer of the lymphatic system, blood, respiratory system, and skin (melanoma) was found. These data urge every cancer patient to see the psycho-oncologist or psychotherapist to work on those psychic traumas and conflicts that can contribute to development of chronic stress. If you want to learn more about these issues, read these books: "Cancer as a Turning Point" by Lawrence LeShan, "Love, Medicine and Miracles" by Dr. Bernie Siegel and "Carcinogenic Mind. The Psychosomatic Mechanisms of Cancer" by Dr. Vladislav Matrenitsky. They greatly helped me to understand the reasons of my illness and brought to the psychotherapy.
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Hi! I've recently discovered the 'anticancer services' of Ukrainian psycho-oncologist Vladislav Matrenitsky M.D., Ph.D. He claims that cancer is psychosomatic illness which develops as a result of irresolvable psychic traumas, intrapersonal conflicts or other severe stresses turned into chronic state. This leads to emerging of a 'psychogenic oncodominant' in mind, discovered by scientists from the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. I quote: "This dominant firmly holds the place of the purpose of life dominant, and forms deep deformations of the psychosomatic system. Thus, the “mental neoplasm”, the oncological dominant, entails a somatic neoplasm – cancer. The psychogenic oncodominant, according to Russian scientists, usually does not disappear during the traditional, somatically oriented treatment. When “familiar” psychotraumatic stimuli appear, which often happens when the patient returns to his/her old way of life, the oncodominant can be reactivated. This leads to a recurrence of tumor growth. Consequently, successful treatment of oncological diseases is impossible without the psychotherapeutic elimination of the oncodominant." Any ideas if it worth to try?
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Hello, my dear friends! I. Have. Missed. You! It is so tempting, in my relationship with caregiving, to take on blame. Blame myself for this or that. Plans didn’t go off accordingly? It’s my fault. Time got away from me without my control? Oh, that’s my fault, too. Sign me up! Since my last post, our “best laid plans” were thrown out the window. Forcefully. To be totally real with you, my friends, I had wanted so badly to post about ALL THE HOPE in May. I wanted to fill your inboxes with notifications that there was a new post here every day. I wanted to fill your “Caregiver Quiver” (ooooh, I like that, I’m gonna use that!) with so many HOPE arrows that you would have a weapon to combat every moment of hopelessness. After all, May was Lung Cancer Hope Month (thanks to LUNGevity!). That’s huge. For a diagnosis that used to be like a flipped hourglass, any dose of HOPE can make the difference between having or losing the will to fight. We who spend every day in the LC community know there is SO MUCH HOPE, and yet Society At Large still sees the hourglass. So: I had wanted so badly to fill your May with links and resources and information on the newest and best stories and breakthroughs and answers. That was my “best laid plan.” But then, my dad ended up in the hospital for the entire month of May. My mom is my LC patient, but my dad has his own chronic health issues that require frequent hospital stays. You know the darndest thing about hospital stays? They aren’t always marked out in my day-planner! Shoot. Go figure! So. There went May. And I have been tossing and turning and being grumpy and angsty about letting you guys down. I went and pulled the tweets from our last #LCCaregiver twitter chat, when we talked about HOPE and how we could spread hope and share hope and how we as caregivers could encourage our loved ones to have ALL THE HOPE. I was in a real funk, guys. I really felt like I had lost the chance to really make Lung Cancer Hope Month “count.” Then, it hit me… Do you remember what we talked about in that chat? Because I do, and I will NEVER, ever forget it. We talked about HOPE, and sources of hope, and we said: this community is our source of hope. This group of souls going through the same thing is our source of hope. We feel hopeful by being there for each other, thick and thin. And my angsty funk? My trying to stick to plans? That was all making me feel hopeLESS. I was acting and talking like a person who felt hopeLESS. No more. I reject that trap. You are my family, and I am yours. I don’t need deadlines and set schedules to be there for you, and you don’t need that to be there for me! The most relieved I have felt along this entire walk with lung cancer have been the times when I let go of trying to keep to an ironclad schedule, and have instead followed my gut and allowed myself to really be present in the current moment and what the moment needed. I want to be present for you, and I know you are present for me. We are all in this together. Now, don’t get me wrong: I DO want to catch up and write some posts about ASCO (the major oncology conference that just took place in Chicago); about recent drug approvals; about ways caregivers can find peace. And I will. But I also know I won’t be letting you down. Let’s chat! TONIGHT (Wednesday) at 8pm ET, let’s chat about the support network you keep around you. Let’s talk about what you need, where you feel most confident and least confident, and what you can do to help your support system help YOU. This is an ongoing conversation, believe me; let’s all grab our tea and put on our slippers and come together to follow #LCCaregiver tonight. Questions are below. I hope to “see” you there! Bring a friend; all are welcome. Love always, Danielle #LCCaregiver Twitter chat, tonight (Wednesday) at 8:00PM ET. Follow #LCCaregiver on Twitter to participate! T1: Who do you consider your “support system?” T2: What are the strengths in your support system? T3: What are the gaps or weaknesses in your support system? T4: What has been the hardest thing to ask someone? What kind of help is hard to find? T5: Would you rather people ask what you need, or just volunteer specific help? T6: What resources or tools would you like to have in your Caregiver Quiver? (sorry, can’t help it, I really love that phrase now) (If you’ve never used the LUNGevity Navigator App, just wait: I’ll tell you about it tonight!) T7: Are there local resources for caregivers where you live? What local resources would be cool to create? T8: What can the nonprofit orgs like LUNGevity do for you? (have you checked out LUNGevity’s awesome caregiver resource center?!) T9: What can your fellow caregivers best do to support you from afar?
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"Boy, what a week!" ...How many of you know that phrase by heart? All of you! (And not always starting with such an innocent word as "boy...") Well, that's been my week. And I know it probably has been for you, too. Just by way of illustration: I went to the grocery store a week ago. On the day of my mom's most recent treatment. Mom's treatment stays usually last about 6 hours, so the day is toast by the time we get home, and we are "pooped." So, back to the groceries. I. Just. Now. Finished. Unloading. The. Car. Don't get me wrong: I got the precious perishables out as soon as we went inside. But the rest? It slept in my car through a week of hot-cold-stormy-sunny. Once we had the front door locked, the outside world vanished. This week progressed similarly for the rest of our responsibilities, too: we felt under the weather (literally and figuratively), so the ticks on the tick-off list just didn't get ticked. I am absolutely sure that each of you knows that feeling. That's one of the safety nets of this community: nobody knows what it's like until they've been there. Not really. That's what helps to build our Caregiver community and our LC community. That's our familial bond. But, like most weapons, it can be a sword or a shield. Sometimes, that bond can also be a burned bridge. Have you ever been challenged by another Caregiver? Asked to defend why you chose a particular approach for your loved one? Asked why you haven't done this or tried that? I have. And I bet you have, too. It hurts. Not only does it imply that one approach is better (which is condescending), but such criticism places an additional burden on already overwhelmed shoulders: explain this to me! Justify this to me! Take the time to research my position! Even as we build our bonds as Caregivers, and even as we acknowledge the struggle that unites us, we must always remember that every family is different. Every patient has different needs, so every Caregiver must respond to THAT patient, OUR patient, rather than to some "ideal" formula of caregiving. Want a live-in aide? Hire one. Don't? Then don't. Same with choosing treatment plans, listening to holistic practitioners, which tasks to assign friends and family, which information to share with whom, how to make the calendar...anything. I'm as guilty of this as anyone, but I try to consistently remind myself: we are on the same journey, but along different paths. And that's okay. I would be honored if you would join us at our next monthly #LCCaregiver Twitter chat: tomorrow, Wednesday 4/5, at 8pm ET. Just follow #LCCaregiver to participate. Everyone is welcome. Bring a friend. Tell a fellow Caregiver. Have your loved ones chat alongside you. I am so excited to share with and learn from you. The questions and topics are below, so that you may review them before we "meet" tomorrow night. Love and thanks, Danielle ? Did you find support among other caregivers or do/did you find it more challenging? Why? Have you experienced feelings of guilt or judgement placed upon you by other #LCCaregivers? What are some of the tensions that can erupt between carers? What are the different tensions between #LCCaregivers in families vs in support groups? How can a new #LCCaregiver prevent caregiver conflict and competition? Are there any tips or resources that can help an #LCCaregiver dealing with competition and judgement?
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The demands of lung cancer caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel you have little control over the situation or you have little or no help. Let's chat about it! Have you ever felt helpless and powerless in your role as caregiver? It's important to watch for warning signs and take action right away to lighten your load and avoid serious burnout. TOPIC: Lung Cancer Caregiver Stress, Burnout, and Depression We will chat about signs and symptoms of caregiver stress and burnout. How can you recognize the signs of caregiver stress and burnout? What resources are available to help ease the burdens on lung cancer caregivers? Ways that families and friends can help their loved ones and share experiences and tips that may help others. DETAILS: Date: Wednesday, August 3, 2016 Time: 5pm Pacific/7pm Central/8pm Eastern This chat is open to ALL lung cancer caregivers, patients, survivors, and professionals. Are you a patient seeking help for your caregiver? This chat is for you too. TWITTER CHAT TIPS: A great online tool for Twitter chat participation is http://www.tchat.io/ Just log into your Twitter account from this site and then enter our chat hashtag #LCChat. You'll be able to follow right along and read everyone's tweets, retweets, likes, and replies!
