Topic - Cancer and PTSD
Just because you overcame cancer doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. You still have the distressing symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
Because you had an event that threatened death or serious injury, you have the core situation that results in PTSD.
But it wasn’t just one incident, with cancer, it happens over and over. The diagnosis, installation of the medi-port, every infusion of chemotherapy, every scan and procedure is yet another opportunity for trauma.
Many cancer patients experience the avoidance and flashbacks of the events for a decade.
Odors pose a real hazard. The smell of plastic tubing and syringes can cause panic. The sense of smell is a very powerful force in triggering flashbacks.
Surviving cancer is one aspect of the fight. Don’t surrender to the trauma.
