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JOSÉE SAVARD, PhD: There are several resources that are available to cancer patients; support groups may be helpful for some patients. Individual intervention with a psychologist or a psychiatrist may be also helpful. It depends on the person and her preferences.
ANNOUNCER: Mental health professionals might try a variety of techniques.
JOSÉE SAVARD, PhD: I do believe that psychological interventions are more appropriate for most of the psychological difficulties encountered by a cancer patient.
Relaxation techniques may be helpful as well during treatment and also when the treatment has ended. Sometimes they combine relaxation with hypnosis and sometimes they use cognitive strategies as well.
ANNOUNCER: Sometimes medications can take the edge off a difficult period.
JOSÉE SAVARD, PhD: Anti-depressants are relevant when there are significant depressive symptoms. Anti-anxiety medications can also be used.
ANNOUNCER: An illness like cancer is a lot to deal with. But most people are surprisingly resilient.
JOSÉE SAVARD, PhD: The more the time goes by, the less severe the psychological reaction or the level of stress.
It may appear surprising that most of the patients adapt well to their situation and it is only a small subset who will develop severe psychological problems such as major depressions or a severe anxiety disorder.
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