Seeking Support and Keeping Your Care Team Connected
- After a cancer diagnosis, it’s important to ensure you get the support you need mentally. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik recommends the following three steps.
- Step #1: Seek additional support if you need it (this could mean speaking to a mental health professional or seeking out a support group)
- Step #2: Look for a mental health professional who has experience helping people in your situation.
- Step #3: Keep your care team connected. This may include your friends and loved ones, your therapist, and the doctors who are treating your cancer.
“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet. “But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional.”
Read More Dr. Plutchik suggests trying to find a mental health professional who has experience helping people as they navigate cancer treatment and keeping your care team connected, so they can stay focused on a common goal. “Make sure that the mental health professional that you work it is reaching out, with your consent, to the rest of your team, to the oncologist, to the surgeon … it can also be helpful to reach out to family, friends, and any other caretakers that may be involved in the person’s treatment.” This kind of connected care ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to getting a patient the best possible support.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Where can I seek additional support if I am struggling mentally?
- Are there any support groups in the area for people like me?
- Can you recommend a mental health professional for my situation?
- Does my situation warrant medication for my mental health and how might that affect my cancer treatment plan?
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