Lung cancer patients have different psychological States and needs at different stages of treatment. The following are different psychological States and needs:
1. Initial diagnosis:
-Psychological state: At the beginning of the diagnosis of lung cancer, patients usually experience a huge psychological shock. First of all, the shock, the news like a bolt from the blue, broke their peaceful life. Many patients will fall into a state of denial, repeatedly questioning the accuracy of the diagnosis, hoping that it is only a misdiagnosis. Then, fear and anxiety spread rapidly. They begin to worry about the severity of the disease, fear that the cancer has developed to an uncontrollable stage, and have a deep fear of death. This fear is often accompanied by the imagination of the treatment process, including the pain of surgery, the side effects of chemotherapy and so on, which makes patients uneasy. At the same time, a sense of helplessness arises spontaneously, and they do not know how to deal with this powerful “enemy”.
-Needs: At this stage, patients urgently need clear, accurate and easily understandable information about their condition. They want doctors to explain in detail the type, stage and possible development of lung cancer. Understanding the pros and cons of different treatments is essential for patients to gain an initial understanding of future treatments. Emotional support is what patients rely on most at this time. Family companionship, comforting words and warm hugs can give them strength. Patients also hope to get positive signals from healthcare workers, even if only a glimmer of hope, can become their motivation to face the disease. In addition, patients may need some time and space to digest the news and adjust their mentality.
2. Surgical treatment stage:
-Psychological state: As the operation approaches, the patient’s tension will continue to increase. They are worried about the safety and success rate of the operation and the possible accidents during the operation, such as massive bleeding and anesthesia problems. Concerns about the integrity of the body can also surface, with fears of impaired function after surgery. After surgery, if the recovery process is smooth, the patient’s psychological pressure will be reduced; but if there are complications, such as pain, wound infection, poor breathing, depression, irritability and other negative emotions will follow. They may feel betrayed by their bodies and lose confidence in their recovery.
-Demand: Before the operation, the patient needs to explain the knowledge related to the operation comprehensively and patiently healthcare workers, including the specific steps of the operation, the possible risks and the expected postoperative results. This can help ease their fear of the unknown. At this time, family members should give full encouragement to enhance the confidence of patients. After operation, comfortable rehabilitation environment is the basic needs of patients, including appropriate temperature, humidity, quiet ward and so on. Patients hope that healthcare workers can deal with pain and other discomfort symptoms in a timely and effective manner to help them recover as soon as possible. At the same time, in daily life, such as washing, eating, turning over and so on, family assistance is needed, which can make patients feel warm and reassuring.
3. Radiotherapy stage:
-Psychological state: In the process of radiotherapy, with the gradual appearance of side effects, the psychological burden of patients will gradually increase. Skin damage such as erythema, itching and ulceration will make them feel uneasy and worry that skin problems will become more and more serious. Fatigue is like a shadow, which greatly affects the physical strength and energy of patients, and easily leads to irritability. In addition, if more serious side effects such as radiation pneumonia occur, patients will have doubts about the effect of radiotherapy, fearing that the condition will deteriorate instead of being controlled.
-Requirements: Patients need detailed knowledge of the side effects of radiotherapy, including the causes, duration and ways to deal with them. For example, they need to know how to take care of the skin in the radiotherapy area, such as using mild skin care products and avoiding direct sunlight. For fatigue problems, I hope to get reasonable rest advice and nutritional guidance to enhance physical strength. If serious side effects occur, patients expect doctors to adjust the radiotherapy program in time, but also hope that their families can understand their pain and give more care and care.
4. Chemotherapy stage:
-Psychological state: The side effects of chemotherapy drugs are often more intense, and the psychological impact on patients is greater. Gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea and vomiting make patients miserable, seriously affect appetite and quality of life, and easily lead to frustration. Hair loss problems can lead to self-image disorders, especially for patients who are concerned about appearance, which is a heavy blow, and they may avoid social interaction. The decline of immunity caused by bone marrow suppression makes patients weak and worry about complications such as infection, which further aggravates the psychological burden. Long-term chemotherapy may make patients feel desperate and even give up the idea of treatment.
-Demand: Patients are in urgent need of effective methods to stop vomiting and improve appetite. For hair loss problems, psychological counseling can be sought to adjust the mentality, but also need emotional support from family members and healthcare workers, so that they can accept their image changes. At the same time, it is crucial to understand how to prevent infection and what to do when immunity is low. Throughout the course of chemotherapy, encouragement from family members and healthcare workers is the driving force for them to persevere, and they hope to see the positive significance and hope of persisting in chemotherapy.
5. Rehabilitation stage:
-Psychological state: In the rehabilitation stage, if the body recovers well, the patient’s psychological state will gradually improve and regain confidence in life. However, the fear of cancer recurrence often haunts them. They will be overly sensitive to every subtle change in the body, even a little discomfort will trigger their worries about recurrence, and this long-term psychological pressure may affect their quality of life.
-Requirements: Patients need to clearly understand the review plan during rehabilitation, including the review items, time intervals and the significance of various indicators. Healthy lifestyle guidance is essential, such as reasonable diet structure, moderate exercise, etc., which helps to improve the body’s immunity and prevent recurrence. Psychological support is still important. Participating in patient communication activities and communicating with counselors can help them alleviate their fear of recurrence and return to normal life better.
Lung cancer
