Coping With Mental Health & Anxiety
- New research suggests that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy [reasoning based therapy] which helped singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding cope with panic attacks, can help improve the mental health of those battling cancer.
- Study authors revealed their findings in a peer-reviewed journal called Cancer Medicine that CBT “moderately improves” mental health and quality of life in cancer patients.
- Therapy and medication are the two most recommended forms of treatment for individuals with anxiety, and treatments vary depending on the type of anxiety an individual has.
- Dr. Marianna Strongin, a clinical psychologist and founder of Strong In Therapy, has been helping the SurvivorNet community by sharing coping mechanisms and a structured way to think about handling these issues.
The new research, published this month in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Medicine, revealed that a systematic review and meta-analysis of 154 clinical trials found that CBT “moderately improves” mental health and quality of life in cancer patients.
Read More“Important clinical and intervention-related factors, that is, age and delivery, should be considered when oncologists consider CBT as a psychotherapeutic intervention for individuals with cancer.”
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is “a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness.”
“Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life,” the AMA explains. “In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.”
The recent research, in which study authors compared CBT to control on the mental health and quality of life outcomes of cancer patients, was conducted through a meta-analysis of 154 clinical trials with 1627 individuals.
Out of the 154 clinical trials, 29 clinical trials were excluded, leading to 132 clinical trials and 1030 size effects among the final analysis. The total number of individuals included in the analysis were 13,226.
The average age of the individuals was 53.38 across 129 trials that took age into consideration. And the average sex was women at 78.85 percent in 131 trials that reported sex, a press release states.
“In addition to confirming the general benefit of CBT for individuals with cancer, this study unveiled important nuances of how CBT can be most effective and for which populations,” Researcher Anao Zhang, PhD, one of the study authors and assistant professor of social work at University of Michigan.
“This has major clinical implications for supportive oncology providers.”
Meanwhile, although 37-year-old singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, known for her popular song “Love Me Like You Do,” never battled cancer, she is no stranger to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)— in fact, it helped her manage “debilitating panic attacks.”
Back in 2016, Goulding told Canadian magazine Flare about how CBT helped her find peace amid the chaos in her mind.
“I was skeptical at first because I’d never had therapy, but not being able to leave the house was so debilitating. And this was when my career was really taking off,” Goulding told Flaire, according to Self Magazine.
“My surroundings would trigger a panic attack, so I couldn’t go to the studio unless I was lying down in the car with a pillow over my face. I used to beat myself up about it.”
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She added, “There were a couple of times after I released Delirium [in 2015] when I was doing promo and thought, ‘Oh god, it’s coming back, it’s coming back.’
“But it didn’t. I think my body has become quite good at controlling anxiety.”
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Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), advances in CBT have come about through research and clinical practice, explaining,
Indeed, CBT is an approach for which there is ample scientific evidence that the methods that have been developed actually produce change … In this manner, CBT differs from many other forms of psychological treatment.”
This form of therapy is based off of several core principles, as per the APA. For example:
- Psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking.
- Psychological problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
- People suffering from psychological problems can learn better ways of coping with them, thereby relieving their symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives.
Treatment also involves work to alter one’s thinking patterns. Strategies may include:
Learning to recognize one’s distortions in thinking that are creating problems, and then to reevaluate them in light of reality.
- Gaining a better understanding of the behavior and motivation of others.
- Using problem-solving skills to cope with difficult situations.
- Learning to develop a greater sense of confidence in one’s own abilities.
Some other ways CBT may help someone is by teaching them to face their fears, prepare for problematic interactions via role playing, and learning how to relax one’s mind.
The APA adds, “Not all CBT will use all of these strategies. Rather, the psychologist and patient/client work together, in a collaborative fashion, to develop an understanding of the problem and to develop a treatment strategy.
“CBT therapists emphasize what is going on in the person’s current life, rather than what has led up to their difficulties. A certain amount of information about one’s history is needed, but the focus is primarily on moving forward in time to develop more effective ways of coping with life.”
How To Manage Anxiety During High-Stress Times
Battling a mental health issue, cancer, or learning to move forward after treatment can be an extremely stressful time for so many people. How can you manage your anxiety while dealing with so many other things?
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Stress
Dr. Marianna Strongin, a clinical psychologist and founder of Strong In Therapy, has been helping the SurvivorNet community by sharing coping mechanisms and a structured way to think about handling these issues.
“The way that I define anxiety is that it’s an internal question that we simply can’t find the answers to,” Dr. Strongin previously toldSurvivorNet.
Dr. Strongin says that one of the main causes of anxiety is uncertainty about life, and a cancer battle can fuel anxiety for individuals because of the lack of uncertainty about the future.
Many people will turn to media platforms for answers, but Dr. Strongin says that individuals often end up with more questions as a result which leads to more anxiety.
The first step for coping during stressful circumstances is understanding one’s anxiety. To do this, Dr. Strongin suggests checking in with oneself everyday to see where the anxiety is manifesting and what questions are causing the anxiety. From there, it’s important to answer those questions and reassure oneself with positivity.
WATCH: A Guided Meditation for the SurvivorNet Community
“The answers are our coping skills,” Dr. Strongin says. “Some people are really good at always giving themselves answers…other people don’t have the coping skills to answer their anxiety and as a result the anxiety increases. … We are all facing the same questions.”
She continues, “Some are facing them much more than others and some are better at answering those questions than others. What’s really important is to pay attention to is what those questions are, what the frequency of those questions are, and how you’re answering them.”
Anxiety In The United States
According to the Anxiety Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States, affecting nearly 40 million adults 18 years and older. Anxiety can be developed through factors including genetics, personality, brain chemistry, and life circumstances. Despite being highly treatable, only 43.2% of people receive treatment for anxiety disorders.
Anxiety symptoms include feelings of irritability, fatigue, and nervousness. People struggling with anxiety also have trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and rapid heart rate which leads to hyperventilation.
Therapy and medication are the two most recommended forms of treatment for individuals with anxiety, and treatments vary depending on the type of anxiety an individual has.
Mental Health: The Basics
The term mental health refers to both our emotional and psychological well-being. Our mental health can affect how we think, feel, and behave. Certain triggers like stress, traumatic events, or change in your physical health can affect mental health. It’s really important to keep tabs on your mental health and, if necessary, seek treatment. This doesn’t necessarily mean traditional therapy because while it may be really helpful (even life-changing) for some, that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.
Problems with mood and overall mental well-being can be attributed to several factors. For some people it’s genetic, while others may be experiencing a response to some sort of stressor or past trauma.
How to Fix Relationships When Depression Hits – A Survivors Guide
In order to keep your mental health in check, it’s important to be aware of signs which can be subtle that there is something affecting your mind. These signs include:
- A change in eating or sleeping habits
- Losing interest in people or usual activities
- Experiencing little or no energy
- Numb and/or hopeless feelings
- Turning to drinking or drugs more than usual
- Non-typical angry, upset, or on-edge feelings
- Yelling/fighting with loved ones
- Experiencing mood swings
- Intrusive thoughts
- Trouble getting through daily tasks
These symptoms can be wide-ranging and vary a great deal from person to person. Everyone experiences grief differently, for example.
However, if you are feeling unusually sad, on-edge, or like you’re no longer interested in activities you used to love, know that there are many treatment options available and many different healthy ways to help you cope.
Understanding Treatment Options
Treatment options for people struggling with mental health really run the gamut. While some people may benefit from seeking the help of a psychologist and getting on medication, others see great improvement by simply implementing some lifestyle changes, such as prioritizing exercise and cutting back on alcohol.
RELATED: How to Be Realistically Optimistic: Coping With Mental Health Long-Term
Those struggling should know that they are not alone about one in five American adults has experienced some sort of mental health issue, according to mentalhealth.gov.
However, what worked to help someone else cope may not necessarily help you as treatment must be individualized.
Dr. Scott Irwin, a Psychiatrist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Explains Talk Therapy
To maintain a positive mindset and address mental health struggles you may be having, treatment may include:
- Seeking professional help from a psychiatrist or therapist
- Learning healthy coping skills
- Medication such as antidepressants
- Adding more physical activity to your routine
- Adjusting your sleep schedule
- Connecting with others via support groups
- Mindfulness and meditation
Dr. Daynelle Dedmond, a Gynecologic Oncologist at Centura Health in Colorado Springs, On Mental Health Treatment
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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