Mental Health: Caregiver of cancer patient may need psychological support

Discovering the diagnosis of cancer is a very delicate moment and full of doubts. Although the situation requires a lot of empathy with the patient, it is also necessary to look at the person who assumes the role of caregiver, that is, the person who will be responsible most of the time for offering physical and emotional well-being to the person with the disease. .

In many cases, the caregiver tends to put their wants and needs aside to dedicate themselves to the maximum of the cancer patient. But when there is a lack of a support network at this time, physical and emotional exhaustion can make the period even more complex for the caregiver.

The person with this role has a unique way of dealing with the disease, after all, everyone has their own way of facing the new stage. However, one thing is a fact: she becomes responsible for being more present and has a great influence on the life of the cancer patient.

All the responsibility makes the caregiver go through several roles, proving that he also needs to ask for help. One of the ways to take care of yourself is to seek emotional support, which can come from a psychologist, oncologist or even from the family, depending on each case.

According to Jacqueline Pereira, a psychologist at Oncoclínicas São Paulo, the diagnosis of cancer will impact both the patient and the family, thus disorganizing a system that predates the disease.

“We know that all members of this family nucleus will feel affected and will mobilize to take care of the patient. But it usually focuses on a single person, whom we call the main caregiver”, he explains.

Oncologist Andrea Borges, also from Oncoclínicas São Paulo, reinforces that it is very important to understand the caregiver’s difficulties to help the patient.

“This is the doctor’s role at the time of the consultation. We cannot only look at the patient, it is important to understand the context and also focus on the caregiver. Often, he is a fragile person and he may not be able to handle it alone if we we can’t help him,” he says.

In addition to exhaustion, the caregiver also deals with impotence, another reason for the medical team to be aligned with the context of that family.

“We need to give the caregiver the basis in the psychological part. The caregiver’s impotence is wanting to go through the situation that the patient himself is experiencing. So he gets frustrated all the time. That’s why we need to keep an eye on the consultation at all times. It is at this time that we should say: ‘Do you need help? We have a team of psychologists who can help'”, says the oncologist.

All the overload can also have a direct impact on the caregiver, causing him to have difficulties in sleeping and eating, in addition to episodes of anxiety that can mobilize depression.

“We know that stress can have very intense repercussions on the physical part. So the physical illness of the caregiver is very common because of this overload and because he himself fails to take care of himself, to carry out his medical follow-up routines, being in the background The worsening of stress can bring about a more serious condition, such as depression and other mental health issues”, comments Jacqueline.

“There are different types of caregivers, some more technical, others not so much, but the basis of everything is the affection and availability of help that he has with the patient. Sometimes, we offer support by referring this caregiver to the psychologist when necessary. different when you have this solid support at home. The patient has a better evolution”, explains Andrea Borges.

When something doesn’t go well, it’s very important that the caregiver and the people around him pay attention to the signs. “In Oncoclínicas, for example, there is psychological support to the caregiver. It is essential that both the patient and the caregiver are in partnership with the team to take actions, that is, plans that facilitate this process”, adds Jacqueline.

Some simple actions can also help in caring for the caregiver’s mental health. “Organizing a routine, thinking about what he can do, what is within reach, what is possible at the moment, not coming with the superhero spirit wanting to take care of everything and everyone and sharing tasks with other family members to not overload”, says the psychologist.

In addition, the caregiver should not fail to go to the doctor and perform follow-up exams, prioritize food, have a good quality of sleep, practice physical exercises and include leisure among their activities.

“Above all, the caregiver must keep in mind that the presence and availability of care is super important, but not take it as the center of life. It is necessary to divide the process so that the caregiver does not get sick and offers higher quality care for that cancer patient who needs it so much right now”, concludes Jacqueline.

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