The stresses and strains of serious conditions can make depression more likely, which can further complicate or prolong recovery. Staying positive and watching for signs of depression are important parts of the healing process.

All too often, when a person is diagnosed with a serious illness, the focus is solely on healing the body.

While there’s no disputing the necessity of a physical cure and disease management, almost anyone dealing with a critical diagnosis also needs mental and emotional care and healing.

The following answers to common questions can help you or a loved one determine if a mental health professional could be of service.

If I have cancer or heart disease, how could I possibly feel better about my situation?

While you can’t change the facts of your condition, you can change how you allow them to limit your life experience.

Living well with the challenges of a chronic illness requires an attitude that’s realistic and positive, resilient and flexible.

How could a mental health professional help me deal with my condition?

A qualified therapist can help people build emotional resilience when faced with the difficulties of chronic illness. With the help of an experienced psychologist, you can learn and practice appropriate coping strategies such as the following:

• Stay close to family and friends. Accepting help from those close to you can strengthen resilience and reduce feelings of isolation. A therapist can help you resist the temptation to retreat from those who love you.
• Accept change. Depending on your condition, you may not be able to participate as you once did in activities you enjoy. Accepting change is difficult for many people; psychologists can help you remain positive in the face of altered circumstances.
• Choose hope. Negative test results and other setbacks can make it difficult for someone with a serious illness to sustain a positive attitude. An objective and caring therapist can help you keep each day in perspective.
• Manage stress. The strains of uncomfortable treatments, fears of an uncertain future, and changing capabilities contribute to the stress of living with a challenging diagnosis. Effective therapists can teach stress-management techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and progressive relaxation.
• Maintain stability. Chronic conditions can make life chaotic and uncertain. Regular meetings with a therapist can help provide a steady emotional balance.

Does psychology have a track record of helping with specific illnesses?

Psychological counseling before heart disease procedures can produce shorter stays in the critical care unit, less emotional distress, and shorter hospital stays according to the American Psychological Association. After a heart attack, group therapy for recovering heart patients improves psychological well-being and cuts the death rate in the first three years of recovery.

Do therapists have any role after the treatment of a serious illness is finished?

The body may be mended when the final chemotherapy is administered or operation is complete.

However, in many cases it’s not unusual for the mind to need further care and support as the person moves on to changed physical and emotional circumstances.

In addition, studies have found people who survive serious illnesses are likely to reassess their life’s priorities as they move forward. An experienced therapist can be an invaluable guide in this uncharted landscape.

By Barbara Floria, editor of Vitality. For more information, visit the American Psychological Association at http://apahelpcenter.org.

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