COVID Adds to Cancer Stresses
- Ovarian cancer is often associated with depression, anxiety, body shame, and a whole range of other emotions.
- COVID-19 may add to the stress by creating a sense of isolation.
- Virtual support groups or one-on-one counseling can give you a sympathetic ear when you need someone to talk to.
The last few months have been difficult for all of us, but particularly for anyone with cancer. Lindsay Grisanti, a licensed master social worker with the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has seen a big bump in mental health consultations since the pandemic started. “A lot of our patients suffer from isolation and feel a lack of support during this time,” she tells SurvivorNet.
The people she sees may already be dealing with depression, anxiety, and a host of other emotions. “The pandemic has just added on another stressor to them being able to be emotionally and physically healthy.”
If you feel overwhelmed, reach out for help. Join an ovarian cancer support group, which are now being offered virtually. Sit down for a one-on-one chat with a mental health care provider. Ask the patient navigator at your cancer center for help paying medical bills if you’re underwater. And talk to your ob/gyn about any problems that are standing in the way of a healthy sex life.
Use whatever techniques help you regain your sense of calm and equilibrium. “I’m really big into mindfulness breathing techniques and exercises,” Grisanti says. She also recommends journal writing to release those negative emotions. She says she’s worked with many people who felt lost and hopeless at the start of their cancer journey. But slowly, by taking baby steps, she’s seen them make dramatic improvements and become “wholeheartedly happy.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
COVID Adds to Cancer Stresses
- Ovarian cancer is often associated with depression, anxiety, body shame, and a whole range of other emotions.
- COVID-19 may add to the stress by creating a sense of isolation.
- Virtual support groups or one-on-one counseling can give you a sympathetic ear when you need someone to talk to.
The last few months have been difficult for all of us, but particularly for anyone with cancer.
Lindsay Grisanti, a licensed master social worker with the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has seen a big bump in mental health consultations since the pandemic started. “A lot of our patients suffer from isolation and feel a lack of support during this time,” she tells
SurvivorNet.
The people she sees may already be dealing with depression, anxiety, and a host of other emotions. “The pandemic has just added on another stressor to them being able to be emotionally and physically healthy.”
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If you feel overwhelmed,
reach out for help. Join an
ovarian cancer support group, which are now being offered virtually. Sit down for a one-on-one chat with a mental health care provider. Ask the patient navigator at your cancer center for help paying medical bills if you’re underwater. And talk to your ob/gyn about any problems that are standing in the way of a
healthy sex life.
Use whatever techniques help you regain your sense of calm and equilibrium. “I’m really big into mindfulness breathing techniques and exercises,” Grisanti says. She also recommends journal writing to release those negative emotions. She says she’s worked with many people who felt lost and hopeless at the start of their cancer journey. But slowly, by taking baby steps, she’s seen them make dramatic improvements and become “wholeheartedly happy.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
