Professional psychological support designed to help patients, caregivers and families navigate the emotional challenges of cancer with greater confidence, resilience and wellbeing.
A cancer diagnosis changes everything instantly. The fear, anxiety, grief and emotional impact on family relationships are not side effects but a part of the cancer experience and should be treated in the same way as all other aspects of treatment are treated. It is common knowledge that mental and physical health are related to cancer treatment. Structured psychological support has been shown to be consistently associated with improved quality of life, treatment adherence and overall outcomes in patients receiving psychological and medical treatment. Mind and body are not separate, supporting one actively supports the other.
According to Dr Sneha from Medicover Cancer Institute, HITEC City, Hyderabad, mental and emotional support is given due consideration when planning the treatment for patients as an essential element of their treatment schedule and not as an additional feature following other treatments.
Psychological care helps patients and families feel supported, informed and emotionally stronger throughout the cancer journey.
Psychological support for cancer patients is not a single service, it is a program of psychological support to meet a variety of emotional and mental health needs over a period of time throughout the cancer journey.
Individual Counselling offers a protected and secure place for the patient to work through the range of emotions. They experience all the emotions of a cancer diagnosis: fear, anger, sadness, confusion and uncertainty about the future. The patient is provided with evidence-based therapy that is known to ease psychological symptoms and enhance daily living.
Management of Anxiety and Depression is crucially important. Clinical anxiety and depression affect far more cancer patients than most patients and their families think. If left untreated, these disorders result in decreased ability to tolerate treatments, lowered immune functions and a lower quality of life. Psychological as well as, if needed, psychiatric intervention is essential.
The programme combines counselling, emotional support, coping strategies and family-focused care to help patients maintain emotional wellbeing during and after treatment.
Family counselling recognizes that cancer occurs not just to the patient. It transforms every relationship within the family. Fears and grief are carried by the partners, children and close family members. Family counselling assists family members to manage their emotional reactions, communicate better and be present as a consistent, healthy support system without becoming burned out.
Coping Skills Development provides patients with specific skills to address the emotional challenges of cancer on a daily basis such as structured breathing, cognitive reframing, mindfulness and problem-solving, along with a sense of control and emotional stability during treatment.
Survivorship support is for those facing psychological issues after completion of active treatment. A lot of patients suffer significant anxiety about recurrence, loss of identity and a lack of returning to normal life. Survivorship support offers patients the psychological support necessary to make the transition to a cancer diagnosis with confidence.
They arrange appointments, take care of the patient's medications, do household responsibilities and deal with their own grief often while pretending to be strong for the patient. Caregiver burnout is a real, clinically significant condition and entirely preventable with the proper support.
At Medicover Cancer Institute, psychological support is given as an explicit component of the overall care model with special emphasis on the families and caregivers. A supported caregiver is an effective caregiver. The wellbeing of the family is directly linked to the patient's wellbeing and Dr Sneha's team treats both with the utmost seriousness and compassion.
The process of emotional processing itself is highly dependent upon language and culture. Being able to express oneself emotionally and speak about one's fears and worries in native language to a counselor who appreciates the cultural implications of such feelings is not just important for making the patient feel comfortable.
This is why Dr Sneha and the counselors at Medicover Cancer Institute offer their counseling services in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and English.
The earlier psychological care is integrated from the time of diagnosis the more effective it will be on all measurable outcomes. Early access to support helps patients feel more powerful, less disturbed and more tolerant of their therapy.
Yes. Anxiety and depression occur in many patients with cancer. These are valid health issues which require assistance from professionals and are neither symptoms of weakness nor failures. It is important to be aware of such conditions and take necessary measures.
Absolutely. Partners, children and close family members are provided with psychological support. The whole family unit is impacted by cancer and each member of the family requires proper professional care.
No. Psychological intervention is meant to aid and boost the effectiveness of medical treatment. It makes medical intervention more effective, decreases stress-induced problems, and promotes wellbeing during the process.
It is not necessary for all patients to have formal counselling. At Medicover Cancer Institute, Dr Sneha ensures that emotional and psychological counselling becomes an important component of the therapy regime for every individual patient from the very beginning, and not as an addition to other forms of therapy that have been provided earlier.
The psychological services are embedded in the patient's care journey at the Medicover Cancer Institute in HITEC City, Hyderabad. Contact Dr Sneha during your oncology consultation or book an appointment directly at the hospital.