Thursday, August 22, 2013

Why Diagnosed Patients Need To Join A Cancer Social Network

By Helga Stokes


Although medical science have made progress in leaps and bounds, most people still dread the thought of being diagnosed with a life threatening disease. Cancer, in particular, is probably the most feared diseases and most people see a diagnosis as a death penalty. This is not the case. Sufferers can lead relatively normal lives and becoming a member of a cancer social network can help them to deal with the disease.

Being diagnosed with a dread disease immediately triggers a host of psychological consequences. At first there is the shock and the unbelief. Many patients then go through a period of anger and they want to blame something or somebody for their misfortune. Depression is also common and in some cases patients develop serious behavioral problems that can make life difficult for their loved ones and harm their own chances of improvement.

Proper support systems for patients are of vital importance. Medical treatment alone simply does not help the sufferer to cope with the many consequences of a diagnosis. Many become isolated from their friends, colleagues and family because they simply do not understand the disease or the sufferer simply does not want to be treated as infirm.

Joining a support group holds many advantages. Most members suffer from the same disease and they are able to provide emotional support and even practical advice. Members are able to share their emotions and symptoms with others that know those same emotions and symptoms. That is why they are often the best equipped to provide support. Members motivate each other and encourage each other to live a full and satisfying life.

Many groups offer much more than emotional support and lay advice. Some enjoy the services of professionals in both the medical and psychological spheres. These experts are able to provide valuable advice and information. Many support groups publish scientific papers pertinent to the disease and in some cases members can even ask specific questions from experts. Many members are motivated by the fact that they can also offer support to others.

One of the best places to find support groups is the internet. Groups can be located by using a search engine and by simply entering a few simple yet relevant keywords. It would be worthwhile to learn a little about the various groups before joining. Some groups charge membership fees and many groups will only be useful for people suffering from a very specific type of this disease.

Some people find it difficult to choose a specific group and solve the dilemma by joining many different ones. This may be counter productive because it is necessary to be fully involved with the group in order to gain maximum benefit. It may be a good idea to join a few likely groups to learn more about the benefits they offer. In time, membership of unsatisfactory groups can be discontinued.

Joining a cancer social network certainly holds many benefits for patients and their loved ones. These groups provide information and support. They can play a very important role in helping patients to deal with the disease and to live life to the fullest.




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