May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Posted about 8 years ago by Gwen Spector
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Patients may have a pre-existing mental health illness when they are diagnosed with cancer. The stress of hearing the diagnosis can be emotional for anyone but for people with mental illnesses or tendencies towards emotional problems they can escalate into a high distress situation . Here are some resources to help your patients with dealing with the emotional side of having cancer.
Distress Assessment
- Distress in People with Cancer (NCI) https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/emotional-side-effects/distress.html
- Distress Screening for Oncology Patients (ACCC) https://www.accc-cancer.org/oncology_issues/articles/JF14/JF14-Distress-Screening-for-Oncology-Patients.pdf
- NCCN Distress Thermometer https://www.nccn.org/patients/resources/life_with_cancer/pdf/nccn_distress_thermometer.pdf
- Oncology Distress Screening (ACCC) https://www.accc-cancer.org/oncology_issues/articles/ND12/ND12-Oncology-Distress-Screening.pdf
Mental Health Resources
- Mental Health Resource http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/
- National Alliance on Mental Illness https://www.nami.org/mentalhealthmonth
Online and Phone Support for Cancer Patients
- 4th Angel Patient & Caregiver Mentoring Program 866-520-3197 www.4thangel.org
- American Psychosocial Oncology Society 1-866-276-7443 (1-866-APOS-4-HELP Mon-Fri 9 am- 9 pm ET.
- Association of Cancer Online Resources (ACOR) http://acor.org/
- CanCare 888-461-0028 www.cancer.org
- Cancer Care 800-813-HOPE (4673) http://www.cancercare.org/
- Cancer Hope Network 877-HOPENET http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org/
- Cancer Lifeline 800-255-5505 www.cancerlifeline.org/services/lifeline
- Cancer Support Community 214-345-8230 www.cancersupportcommunity.org/
- Imerman Angels 877-274-5529 http://www.imermanangels.org/
- Livestrong 855-220-7777 http://www.livestrong.org/we-can-help/
Finding Local Support Groups or Counseling
- American Cancer Society: Finding a Support Group 800-227-2345 https://www.cancer.org/treatment/support-programs-and-services.html
- American Psychology Association http://locator.apa.org/
- Good Therapy http://www.goodtherapy.org/find-psychologists.html
- Psychology Today https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms
Online Articles and Educational Handouts about the Emotional Side of Cancer
- Adjustment to Cancer: Anxiety and Distress https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/feelings/anxiety-distress-hp-pdq
- Coping with Cancer http://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer
- Psychological Stress and Cancer https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/feelings/stress-fact-sheet
- Psychosocial Oncology http://www.patientresource.com/Social_Services.aspx
Suicide Hotline
If it's an emergency in which you or someone you know is suicidal, you should immediately call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room.
Key:
- ACCC (The Association of Community Cancer Centers)
- NCI (National Cancer Institute)