Comprehensive Benefits of Online Therapy for Cancer Patients in India

Cancer can be an overwhelming diagnosis, bringing not only physical challenges but also emotional and psychological stress. For patients in India, managing cancer involves navigating various treatments, coping with side effects, and dealing with the emotional toll of the disease. Online therapy emerges as a crucial support system, offering convenience, accessibility, and personalised care right from the comfort of home.

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Impact of experiencing Cancer

Physical level – body image issues, amputations, hair loss, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, pain 
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Functional level – poor concentration, memory impairment, difficulty in doing day to day activities 
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Emotional level – loss of certainty, emotional dysregulation, increased dependability on others, poor self-esteem, threatened state 
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Spiritual level – no meaning to life, loosening of personal values, questioning life’s existence 
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Social level – isolation, loss of sense of belongingness, abandonment, stigmatisation, communication issues, disturbed interpersonal relations

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Psychological Aspects of Cancer

Distress is broadly defined as "a multifactorial, unpleasant, emotional experience of a psychological (cognitive, behavioural, emotional), social, and/or spiritual nature that may interfere with the ability to cope effectively with cancer, its physical symptoms, and its treatment and that extends along a continuum, ranging from common normal feelings of vulnerability, sadness, and fears to problems that can become disabling, such as depression, anxiety, panic, social isolation."

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Various stages of the illness progression might cause emotional anguish and the emergence of psychiatric illnesses. The most common psychological diagnoses associated with experiencing and going through the pain of cancer include – stress related disorders, adjustment disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders – especially health anxiety, and sexual disorders.

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Consequences of psychological distress and disorders

The distress feeling and the associated psychological disorders secondary to cancer have repercussions for the patient and the caregivers:

1. Maladaptive coping and atypical sickness behaviour have been linked to poor mental well-being and poor quality of life. 
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2. Emotional difficulties like depression and anxiety can resonate throughout the family, increasing emotional pain for the patient and the caregivers. 
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3. In the event of the patient’s death, it increases the likelihood of traumatic bereavement among the members of the family.

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Treatment for cancer

‍Evaluation of psychological and psychosocial dimensions

The oncologists and cancer care professionals screen and analyse the emotional concerns of the patient and caregivers as a part of their intervention for maintaining a healthy emotional and psychological well-being.

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In the beginning, the test for the psychological features of cancer is conducted as a part of the clinical intervention. This helps to detect maladjustment and psycho-social illness by taking in-depth case history and using different devices like ‘Distress Thermometer’ or ‘Edmonton Symptom Assessment System’ (ESAS).

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The screening is followed by evaluation of psychological and behavioural symptoms like past health issues, irrational thoughts, maladaptive behaviours, unhealthy emotions, suicidal ideations, medication usage, substance abuse, body image perceptions, sexual identity, and many more. This helps in understanding the patient and formulating therapeutic goals with the patient, leading to progress in the sessions for healthier life.

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Post the sessions, the patients have follow-up sessions to attend, especially for those who require regular and timely assessments based on the screening instruments’ established criteria. This is an additional stage in care.

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Benefits of online therapy for Cancer Patients

Living with cancer presents physical, financial, and existential obstacles that can negatively impact mental health. Various treatment approaches are routinely utilised to improve the psychological well-being of cancer patients and survivors. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely regarded as the most effective treatment for managing discomfort and improving psychological outcomes. The interventions try to address patients' basic requirements for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

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Face-to-face psychological therapies have been shown to be useful for dealing with distress and/or quality of life in adult cancer patients at all treatment stages - curative, advanced, palliative care, and survivorship. Despite the variety of accessible therapy methods, many patients have difficulty receiving traditional face-to-face psychological support. Treatment accessibility and availability are frequently limited, and even when offered, less than half of persons suffering from clinically significant psychological distress agree to participate. Transport and parking are impediments to psychological care, and the distance to the treatment centre increases the likelihood of disengagement from psychosocial assistance.

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Internet-based therapies are a useful, accepted, and feasible method of offering psychological treatment. According to a study by Nicolescu S. and Baban A. (2019), there is mixed evidence that web-based psychotherapeutic therapies can relieve the psychological suffering of cancer patients. Interventions designed to alleviate distress were more effective across all cancer types and treatment stages studied. This could indicate that these interventions were of high quality, with a strong focus on the challenges that their participants encountered. The development of online psychotherapy interventions should be adapted to the patient's stage of cancer progression, as this allows for unique requirements to be addressed. The benefit of the online platform is that most interventions can be quickly altered and updated.

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ICBT as a therapeutic intervention for Cancer Care

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the recommended first-line treatment for anxiety and depression symptoms. Traditional CBT is one-on-one, face-to-face psychological intervention treatment provided by therapists to patients, but it is challenging to apply clinically due to a variety of problems, including time and space limits, high prices, high patient demand, and a shortage of therapists.

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With the rapid growth of Internet technology, Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) is gaining popularity due to its ease of use, lack of time and location constraints, low cost, and personalised module settings. ICBT enables patients to obtain medical treatment and psychological counselling, without isolation measures, lowering the danger of exposure during interventions. ICBT typically takes the form of modules or sessions that convey CBT ideas over the internet. ICBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as face-to-face CBT, with the added benefits of privacy, convenience, and treatment fidelity.

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Conclusion

Cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally exhausting, but internet therapy provides a lifeline for individuals going through this arduous path. With the country's enormous geographical diversity and uneven access to healthcare facilities, online therapy promotes general well-being and helps patients retain a positive outlook by making mental health care more accessible and personalised; giving critical mental health help to those who might otherwise struggle to obtain it.

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Rocket Health India specialises in personalised online therapy for cancer patients. We provide a judgement-free, confidential, and safe environment in which to explore your emotions, manage with stress, and build resilience.

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If you or a loved one is fighting cancer, explore the advantages of internet therapy to improve mental and emotional well-being and visit Rocket Health India today to discover more about our services.

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References

Grassi, L., Spiegel, D., Riba, M. (2017). Advancing psychosocial care in cancer patients. F1000Res;6:2083. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.11902.1. PMID: 29259774; PMCID: PMC5717468. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5717468/

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Leslie, M., Beatty, L., Hulbert-Williams, L., Pendrous, R., Cartwright, T., Jackson, R. (2022). Finding My Way UK Trial Steering Group; Hulbert-Williams NJ. Web-Based Psychological Interventions for People Living With and Beyond Cancer: Meta-Review of What Works and What Does Not for Maximizing Recruitment, Engagement, and Efficacy. JMIR Cancer; 8(3):e36255. doi: 10.2196/36255. PMID: 35802418; PMCID: PMC9308073. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9308073/

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Liu, T., Xu, J., Cheng, H., Zhang, Y., Wang, S., Lin, L., Tian, L. (2022). Effects of internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy on anxiety and depression symptoms in cancer patients: A meta-analysis. Gen Hosp Psychiatry;79:135-145. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2022.09.003. Epub 2022 Sep 27. PMID: 36375342. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36375342/