Mental Health & Acceptance
- Marshall Gold, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at Johns Hopkins Medicine, talks to SurvivorNet about how women just diagnosed with ovarian cancer can prioritize their mental health.
- According to Gold, learning to accept the diagnosis, work through common emotions such as anger, depression, or anxiety, and embracing a support system are necessary steps in the coping process.
- Experts have told SurvivorNet that patients who are able to prioritize their emotional well-being can see better treatment results.
It’s normal for women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer to feel a variety of emotions such as anger, sadness, depression and anxiety. Despite being common, it’s necessary that women work through these emotions and take steps in order to prioritize their mental health.
Read MoreGold also says one of the most helpful resources for women coming to terms with an ovarian cancer diagnosis is to embrace the support system around them, whether it includes loved ones or their physician. A support network is critical when it comes to coping with a cancer journey and helps with mental health. This group of people can be both a shoulder to cry on or simply a person to talk through emotions with.
“A woman with ovarian cancer, what’s going to optimize her care, I think is just being open [about] her emotional state,” says Gold. “I think most providers are willing to engage in those kinds of conversations…communicate openly with your provider about your emotional state so that you can get the help that you need.”
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