Today while reading blogs here something hit me that I have 'known' all along but never quite put my finger on it...and that is, at least here in the states, psychiatry is not offered as support unless asked for. You can have your complete work-up, surgery, post surgery care, follow-up visits at home, follow-up visits everywhere, etc. All those services are 'built-ins' to the care. But one thing that is an absolute string throughout ALL our posts (pretty much) is our mental health. Our mental health is not automatically cared for as part of the plan of care...pretty much until we ask for it or have demonstrated a deviation from our norm. And it is sooooo important. Our self-images, are we burdens to our families, finality of days, loneliness, inability to tolerate visitors, irritability, irrational behavior...I can go on and on...We get psychiatric help if we ask or it's noticed, but it is not a 'given' or as part of the cancer care. Hmmm...I think I have 2 cents to offer my care team!
Here, we automatically have social workers as part of the care team, but not psych people...Do you have it in the UK or elsewhere? How is YOUR mental health cared for?
FormerMember
Hi from what Ive observed since being diagnosed that there is a lot of support and information if you suffer from breast cancer, as they seam to be well on top with that here in the UK.
However so much of the help and support seams to be geared JUST towards breast cancer and then only women (sorry but it just seams so bl**dy condescending and sexist drives me nuts) and I keep thinking what about everybody else with this bl**dy disease.
Know I've been given the option of councelling from the BCteam and have a number I can contact if I need to talk ask Q's etc, and I know if I wanted my GP would sort something (my GP practice is soo good they are priceless).
I've also been fortunate in that when initially diagnosed my boss asked the unit psychologist to chat to me (I work as a nurse in kids ITU and we have a team to help familys and the kids). She see's me more as a coleauge but I have found it extreamely helpfull.
Have to agree that it is something that they dont give enough priority too, not only through treatment but how to cope when its all over as that can be just as traumatic. Also as has been mentioned by others it does seam to be a lottery on where you are and what your area provides.
Yes, psyche help is there if ASKED for but not automatically given...should be automatic, right out of the gate, I think. thank you for your thoughts...
A social worker/therapist is automatically dispatched to your case here in the states. They are not PSYCHIATRIC councellors, however. She has helped me unload thoughts and I suppose if she felt I needed further treatment she would make a psyche referral. I think she has helped for sure. There is nothing sweeter than how you feel after you share problems with someone...even if they act as a sounding board so you can organize your thoughts. But she was able to give me some tools to work with so I could wrangle the demons and control THEM instead of the other way 'round, so it DOES work. But you have to open up and be truthful about what is going on in your head for it to help. I do ALOT of talking about my feelings...I hate having things bottled up inside. I feel MUCH calmer afterwards. I hope I have helped.
