Mental Health and Cancer — The Fight, Flight...
Multiple Myeloma
Mental Health and Cancer — The Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
Sarah Kelly, an Oncology Social Worker at Cancer Care, said that the shock of hearing you have cancer for the first time sets off a fight or flight or freeze response in a lot of people — freeze being an especially common reaction. Doctors tend to throw a lot of information at people when they tell them they have cancer, it can be really hard to sift through that information and pick out what’s important. Social workers are there to help with that feeling of being overwhelmed.
“Your mind can go completely blank,” Kelly said. “If we think of fight or flight or freeze, freeze is a big one that happens where people feel like ‘Oh my God, I have no idea what to do.’ We can help people figure that out.”
Social workers can help with a variety of issues that arise during cancer treatment, from mental health issues to financial issues. It’s really helpful to have someone who will be in your court when you need them.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Sarah Kelly, an Oncology Social Worker at Cancer Care, said that the shock of hearing you have cancer for the first time sets off a fight or flight or freeze response in a lot of people — freeze being an especially common reaction. Doctors tend to throw a lot of information at people when they tell them they have cancer, it can be really hard to sift through that information and pick out what’s important. Social workers are there to help with that feeling of being overwhelmed.
“Your mind can go completely blank,” Kelly said. “If we think of fight or flight or freeze, freeze is a big one that happens where people feel like ‘Oh my God, I have no idea what to do.’ We can help people figure that out.”
Social workers can help with a variety of issues that arise during cancer treatment, from mental health issues to financial issues. It’s really helpful to have someone who will be in your court when you need them.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.