Health-Related Issues
What are Health-Related Issues?
Health-related issues include the specific difficulties that arise due to illnesses, both acute and chronic, both for the individual with the illness as well as their loved ones. Health concerns can cause a great deal of change to occur in a person’s life and pose a unique set of obstacles, all of which can lead to worries, fears, and discomfort due to uncertainty.
What are examples of Health-Related Issues due to illness?
In the case of each illness below, diagnosis of oneself or a loved one can drastically alter life. In some cases, the difficulty is in the presence of pain, in others it’s the concern about what parts of life may be thoroughly changed or lost.
This is far from an exhaustive list of illnesses or issues that may arise related to those illness.
Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia
Alzheimer’s Disease is a form of dementia that affects the way people think, behave, and remember events in life. Symptoms start off with forgetfulness and difficulty multitasking. As the disorder progresses, individuals have greater difficult remembering people, places and events, and are often confused in social situations. Alzheimer’s eventually can result in individuals no longer understanding language or caring for their every day needs.
Issues related to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis
For the diagnosed individual, there can be a great deal of fear and worry around no longer have the mental acuity that they are accustomed to, loss of independence, and of putting a burden on loved ones.
For loved ones and care-givers, there can be sadness for not being able to connect with the individual in the same way or for their safety.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is blocked or reduced, which prevents the brain tissue from receiving essential oxygen and nutrients and causes them to begin to die. A stroke can result in a number of different effects including loss of movement and sensation, loss of the ability to speak, loss of cognitive ability, and many others.
Issues related to a stroke
For an individual who experiences a stroke, the health-related issues depend on the stroke’s effects. In cases of a loss of physical or verbal abilities, the issues will of course be physical and cognitive, but can be very difficult on an emotional level, as well.
For those caring for someone who has experienced a stroke and come away from the event with any of the common effects, it may be taxing on their emotions as well as their own day-to-day lives, depending on the level of care they are giving.
Cancer
Cancer is in fact the name for a group of more than 100 diseases in which cells begin to grow out of control, destroying health body tissue. Cancer can progress slowly or quickly but is equally devastating in both cases. Often, cancer treatment can be physically painful and tiring, lead to much change in one’s physical appearance, and have a financial impact.
Issues related to a cancer diagnosis
For someone diagnosed with cancer, there are numerous variables that can impact their experience. Along with physical pain, the emotional pain of uncertainty can be difficult to manage.
For those close to the diagnosed individual, potentially losing a loved one is a difficult thing to process emotionally. Loved ones may also take on care-giving roles that can be taxing and put strain on already busy lives, no matter how committed they are to helping out.
Injury
Injuries come in all sizes and can have a wide array of impacts on your life. When it comes to injuries that have a significant impact, it can sometimes be difficult to know how to cope with such a great deal of change.
Issues related to an injury
A significant injury can result in a range of issues. An injury may mean having to manage pain or mobility concerns, or experiencing changes in appearance or feelings about oneself.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease is a brain disorder that leads to bodily tremors and difficulties with movement or controlling functions. Parkinson’s can be debilitating and there is no cure, although there are medications and lifestyle changes that can help reduce the symptoms.
Issues related to a Parkinson’s diagnosis
An individual with Parkinson’s may experience emotional distress and frustration as they experience difficulty doing the things they once did so easily. Individuals with Parkinson’s may also experience physical pain due to the disease.
A diagnosis of Parkinson’s in a family member of friend can lead to feelings of sadness for their struggles and guilt in being unable to better help them.
Other chronic conditions such as Diabetes, Arthritis, Eating Disorders, and more
When managing a chronic condition, we often focus on the physical side of care. But chronic conditions can take a huge emotional toll because of their on-going nature, and the ups and downs we may experience along the way.
Psychological and emotional care are also vitally important when coping with a chronic condition. Together, medical and mental health care can help you navigate your chronic condition is a more holistic way.
What might you feel when dealing with an illness?
Anger or frustration: As you struggle to come to terms with your diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one, you may be angry or frustrated that the illness has come into your life.
Denial: An unwelcome diagnosis can in some cases result in a refusal to accept the situation, which in turn can lead to other complications (a delay in seeking available treatment, for example).
Worry: There are many potential worries that you may experience when contending with an illness—what you may experience physically as the illness progresses, how you’ll pay for treatment, what will happen to your loved ones, and simply how your life may change as a result.
Regret: Regret can come in the form of regret for what you think you did in life to contribute to your illness, as well as regret for what you did not do in life that you wish you had done.
Grief and Loss: While we expect loved ones to experience grief and loss, we should not overlook the grief and loss (of self) that is experienced by the diagnosed individual.
Isolation: Being diagnosed with an illness can feel like you are being separated from those you are close to, like those around you cannot understand what you are going through, leading to feelings of loneliness.
Hopelessness or powerlessness: Our own illnesses, or an illness in someone in our life, can make us feel small and like our lives are out of control.
Coordinated Care can help you make the most of your mental health and physical health treatments
Comprehensive coordinated health care solutions have been shown to lead to better treatment results and better treatment satisfaction. Comprehensive coordinated healthcare involves coordinating treatment between your therapist, psychiatrist and/or medical provider(s). By working with your medical doctor, your City Center psychotherapist can help you reach better treatment results.
Learn more on our Coordinated Care page.
How we treat health-related issues at City Center Psychotherapy
City Center therapists specialize in treating health-related issues through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure Therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Research has shown that CBT is an effective treatment option for concerns related to health issues.
CBT therapists work with a client to identify and address how the client’s thoughts and behaviors related to their health interact to create anxiety and stress. With a therapist, you will work to recognize how negative thought patterns influence your feelings. By recognizing and changing negative thought patterns, as well as changing behaviors that lead to the worsening of anxiety, CBT can help you better manage issues of anxiety and feel better. Psychoeducation about why anxiety occurs and exercises also support positive outcomes for clients.
Exposure Therapy
Like CBT, Exposure Therapy is an effective treatment for anxieties around one’s health issues.
In Exposure Therapy, a therapist might recommend a program of graduated exposures (e.g., exposing an individual to the thing that causes feelings of anxiety and stress) in order to help break the pattern of avoidance and live a more satisfying life. The exposure to the objects, activities or situations in a safe environment helps reduce negative feelings and decrease avoidance over time.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT (pronounced like the word “act”) relies on a term called “psychological flexibility”, which helps clients change their relationships to their thoughts, connect with the present moment, and make behavior choices that serve their values. Therapists use talk therapy and experiential exercises to identify avoidant behavior and build tolerance for sitting with pain, discomfort, and uncertainty - all of which are essential human experiences.
*Telehealth (online) therapy available.
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