The Influence Of Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancer is a very serious topic and something thousands of children deal with. Today, because of so many children surviving the disease, we need to focus on their life after cancer. Just because a child does not have cancer anymore does not mean that their life is now stressed free. Cancer puts children through so many stressful life events that can often cause Posttraumatic stress disorder. Childhood cancer is a very devastating event that places patients at increased risk for disruption in psychological functioning. Joseph M. Currier, author of Stressful Life Events and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Children with Cancer states “children who had experienced more frequent and severe life stressors endorsed greater PTSS in relation
to the cancer experience”. Children who have survived cancer have a higher risk of stressful life events (28). Currier and his colleagues work highlights several factors in PTSS, including demographic considerations, factors pertaining to the cancer experience itself, severity of parental PTSS, and the cumulative impact of stressful life events in a childhood cancer survivor’s life. Children who have survived cancer have the option to go through therapy and get helped by oncology treatment teams or take stress management medication such as anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs. Stress management drugs are a very controversial topic. The side effects of stress management medication can be just as harmful as the disorder of PTSD itself. A peer reviewed article written by Olivier Taieb, expresses that “Depressed patients who ultimately become treatment resistant frequently have had a negative initial response to antidepressants and invariably have received these agents for prolonged time periods at high doses” (257). Childhood cancer patients choose to take stress management drugs because they do not want to continue to go through therapy. Although the cancer patient is taking the medication to lessen the effects of PTSD, it can cause the patient to become more depressed. Some patients take serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are anti-depressants.
to the cancer experience”. Children who have survived cancer have a higher risk of stressful life events (28). Currier and his colleagues work highlights several factors in PTSS, including demographic considerations, factors pertaining to the cancer experience itself, severity of parental PTSS, and the cumulative impact of stressful life events in a childhood cancer survivor’s life. Children who have survived cancer have the option to go through therapy and get helped by oncology treatment teams or take stress management medication such as anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs. Stress management drugs are a very controversial topic. The side effects of stress management medication can be just as harmful as the disorder of PTSD itself. A peer reviewed article written by Olivier Taieb, expresses that “Depressed patients who ultimately become treatment resistant frequently have had a negative initial response to antidepressants and invariably have received these agents for prolonged time periods at high doses” (257). Childhood cancer patients choose to take stress management drugs because they do not want to continue to go through therapy. Although the cancer patient is taking the medication to lessen the effects of PTSD, it can cause the patient to become more depressed. Some patients take serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are anti-depressants.