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If you, a family member or friend is diagnosed with
cancer or leukemia, the disease will affect your life. Here are ways to help people through
the emotional complications of cancer.
Solutions require motivation, responsibility and readiness to change.
1. What is Cancer?
If cells in a body tissue reproduce without control, the
symptoms are called cancer. Over one hundred diseases are characterized by
uncontrolled cell growth. Cancer can develop in almost any part of your body
and is a leading cause of death worldwide.
Satisfying relationships, a
healthy diet and daily exercise can reduce cancer
risk by more than 60%.
Cancers can be classified as Benign and Malignant,
depending on if the growing cells damage essential organs. Some cancers result from
toxins, some from autoimmune disease, while others
can be classed as psychosomatic.
Benign tumors stay in one location and do not invade other tissues,
which simplifies surgical removal. Some benign tumors are harmless and are not removed
unless they are unsightly or uncomfortable.
Malignant tumors can grow into local tissues or travel through blood
or lymph vessels to form metastases in other organs, especially in nearby lymph glands.
2. Causes of Cancer: Risk Factors
Cancers may be triggered by prolonged or repeated exposure to chemical,
biological, or physical agents called carcinogens. However, the underlying cause of cancers
often include relationships in the family and workplace. The risk of cancer is increased
by consuming or inhaling carcinogens:
3. Systemic (Relationship) Causes of Cancer
Cancer can sometimes be perceived as a "toxic family tradition"
rather than as a genetically inherited disease. A cancer may be a way to "follow"
an ancestor or relative who died of cancer. In our coaching this is called
"dead person identification".
4. Cancer Prevention
Most cancer deaths are preventable. Although most cancer risk
factors are well known, health coaching can assist people to maintain emotionally
healthy lifestyles and significantly decrease the risk of contracting many forms
of cancer.
5. Emotional Complications of Cancer
Emotions can affect the treatment of cancer. Emotional difficulties may
contribute to poor metabolic control - which can cause further psychological problems.
Common factors affecting cancer patients can be remedied with systemic coaching:
- Objections to the prescribed treatment
- Relationships with family, friends and helping
professionals
- Managing emotions, beliefs and stress
Relationships with families, friends and professionals
If you have a cancer, you may have severe mood swings. You may be
unaware of these swings; in each moment acting as if the current emotion is
a basis for long-term decisions. During these times, your relationships may be
under severe stress. You may seem quite normal, yet say horrible
things.
Our systemic coaching can assist and support people to
deal with strong emotions associated with drugs and medications; and can improve
the quality of relationships even through difficult
times.
6. Managing Emotions, Beliefs & Stress
Experiencing emotions is a normal part of
life. Expressing anger, sadness and fear can be stressful. If these emotions
are expressed childishly - a person can create chaos within
important relationships.
If these emotions are experienced but not expressed, a person may
withhold the stress within the body and worsen symptoms. Coaching helps people express
emotions appropriately.
Relationship Diagnosis (Suffering, Loneliness & Depression)
Our systemic diagnosis provides a person's family structure from which a person can
be coached to state beliefs which prevent or sabotage change or
emotional freedom. Examples are:
- I want nothing to change (I am entangled)
- Nothing can change anyway (I lack motivation)
- I cannot make a decision (I cannot resolve conflicts)
- I sabotage myself (I limit my opportunities for happiness)
- I feel bad if I succeed (My family or friends do not succeed)
- I must stay in unpleasant states (I am traumatized)
- I follow damaged role models (I am inspired to fail)
Common Reasons for Suffering
Beliefs
Beliefs about the cause of cancer, its seriousness and the
effectiveness or prescribed treatment can assist or detract from medical
treatment. Our systemic coaching can help people change beliefs.
Depression, Anxiety, Guilt and Shame
People with cancer are likely to suffer from depression,
which may reduce the desire to follow a treatment. If a person feels guilt or
shame, life may not make sense, which leads to depression.
Systemic coaching provides solutions for guilt, anxiety and depression.
Fear of complications or shortened life
Fear can paralyze people into acting as though death is inevitable
and nothing can be done. Systemic coaching offers you emotional management programs
to control unpleasant emotions. Emotional stress can disrupt metabolic control.
We coach people to resolve emotions associated with the risk of early death and
sometimes-painful cancer treatments. See: Stress,
Anxiety and Trauma
The majority of people diagnosed with a malignant cancer will
likely die. We can coach people to prepare for the transition between life and death,
and complete important relationships while still alive.
Consult your physician about any medical
symptoms or medical conditions.
Our coaching can support healthy behavior changes, such as diet,
physical activity, and increasing knowledge and skills. Soulwork helps people live
full lives, promoting emotional well being and life activities (e.g., educational
and vocational goals, recreational activities).
Do you want to
benefit from our experience?
Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 2003-2010,
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