Coping strategies found useful by mesothelioma victims
Mesothelioma is such a disease that affects not only the person
diagnosed with the disease, but his or her loved ones, too. The
intention to write this article is to offer some resource for
patients and their families who are living with this disease.
Coping with mesothelioma, unlike other types of cancer, can be
significantly difficult. There are few support groups
specifically available for mesothelioma. These are quite often
informal groups of people who reside in the same area or who
occasionally meet each other in doctors' chambers or hospital
waiting rooms. There are larger and more organized support
groups for cancer sufferers in general but not for mesothelioma
sufferers in specific.
Let's see how this support groups operates.
Support Groups The main job of the support groups is to help
people, deal with the challenges that they are facing. It is
known that over 20% of Americans have participated in some type
of self-help group. There are mainly two types of support groups
that are available. They are online support groups and community
centred support groups. Nowadays in an era of internet the
number of online support groups is gradually increasing. It is
possible that a support group exists in your community or
on-line that can help to provide you the required support.
Support groups may provide several benefits:
"A social platform for getting connected with others who are
facing similar situations.
"A platform to know how others have coped with challenges
similar to the ones you are facing presently.
"A safe, non-judgmental atmosphere where one can share feelings.
"The reassurance that you are not alone, there are other's too
who have either suffered in the past or is undergoing the same
presently.
"A platform where you can reliably share information.
"A source of reliable Support from others who understand from
personal experience what you are going through
Incidentally there are different types of support groups that
are available. This includes groups with strong focus on a
particular disease such as mesothelioma, groups of caregivers,
and family-centered groups.
Some of the Characteristics of a successful group are as
follows:
"A mix of participants from various age groups. "Honesty of
purpose "A caring atmosphere "A sense of trust should prevail
among members "A good facilitator "Members should abide by the
group rules, including confidentiality.
Apart from joining support groups, a patient should be
encouraged by his family members to remain relaxed and try to
focus on the bright side of the life. A patient should not feel
depressed and emotionally drained. The family members or the
caregivers should create a healing environment and encourage the
patient to think positive. There are lots of inspirational books
that tell how people are fighting mesothelioma and other
life-threatening diseases. Meditation is another way to keep
your mind distracted from morbid thoughts and tension.