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Mental Health

What is mental health?

Good mental health and supportive relationships are an important part of navigating life when your child has a serious illness.

Mental health includes psychological, emotional, and social well-being. It includes how we feel, think, act, and relate to other people.

Having good mental health can improve medical outcomes and quality of life for both patient and family.

Ways better mental health supports medical outcomes:

  • Coping with procedures and daily medical needs
  • Adherence to medication and other therapies
  • Managing stress
  • Understanding information and making decisions
  • Supporting healthy habits like sleep, nutrition, and physical activity

There are many challenges that can negatively impact mental health in families facing serious childhood illnesses. These challenges include:

  • Coping with physical symptoms
  • Worry about the future
  • Stress of care decisions
  • Change in daily routine
  • Financial concerns
  • Separation from friends and family
  • Managing life outside of the illness

Ups and downs in mental health while caring for a seriously ill child are normal. Negative thoughts and emotions are normal. Feelings of stress, worry, and sadness are normal, too.

Sometimes, these feelings are symptoms of a more serious problem like anxiety or depression. But, more often, these are normal reactions to a difficult time.

Healthy adjustment is a process. It can be easy to neglect mental health when the focus is on immediate medical needs. Even if you and your family are coping well, you might still benefit from mental health resources and support.

Support for mental health can come from:

  1. Your care team

    Members of your care team can tell you about specific services that are available.

    Support care include:

    Your care team can help you know what is normal and when feelings or behaviors may indicate a more serious mental health issue. That can include anxiety or depression.

    Your care team can also help identify when mental health concerns may be due to a physical problem or medicine.

  2. Other cancer patients and families

    It can help to know that someone else is going through the same thing. Peer support may be found in day-to-day interactions or through more structured support groups and mentoring programs.

  3. Friends and family

    Maintaining connections to home can be hard during treatment. But keeping in touch with friends and family is important.

    These relationships help give a sense of normalcy. They offer a support network that will continue after treatment ends. Resources are available to help families find ways to stay connected.

    Talking to a mental health professional about relationships and communication can also help.

  4. Chaplains and spiritual care professionals

    Faith-based resources are an important source of support for many families.

    They can offer hope and strength, promoting resilience and endurance. Spiritual care can also help patients and families as they struggle with questions that don’t have a simple answer.

  5. Mental health professionals

    Mental health professionals include:

    • Psychologists
    • Psychiatrists
    • Counselors
    • Social workers

    These providers are trained to help people with a wide range of mental health concerns. Psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression are not uncommon in patients and caregivers. And help is available.

    A mental health professional can also help when there are not major concerns.

    A mental health professional can be:

    • A safe place to talk about things that make you scared, angry, or embarrassed.
    • Someone to listen without judging you; someone who won’t be shocked or sad when you talk about uncomfortable issues.
    • A resource to help family members communicate and understand one another better.
    • A different perspective to help you deal with problems.
    • An encourager to help you get through the hard times.

    There may be days when you feel like you have it together. There may be days when you feel like you can’t handle one more thing. Seeking help for mental health does not mean something is wrong with you.

    Support for mental health provides strength to help you and your family during difficult times.

Key points

  • Good mental health is vital for families dealing with a serious childhood illness.
  • Support is available for families and children during difficult times.
  • Mental health professionals can help you deal with your feelings.
  • Other sources of support, like your family and friends, can help, too.

—
Reviewed: February 2023

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