1. Psychological Impact of Living with Peritoneal Tumours Anne Crook Counsellor / Psychotherapist Psycho-oncology The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Michele Angelo Petrone

2. Impact of cancer and treatment

3. Living with the challenges
Physical
Mental
Vulnerability
Loss of control
Future

4. Sense of self

5. Adjustment is a process

6. Distress Continuum SELF CARE & SOCIAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL CARE
HEALTHY
Normal
functioning
REACTING
Adjustment
process
INJURED
Impaired
functioning
ILL
Clinical
disorder

7. Normal Protective Threat focused
Anxiety
Normal
Protective
Threat focused

8. Fight or Flight

9. What is Anxiety? Excessive worry, fear, dread Restlessness
Physical symptoms:
Fast heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Muscle tension
Light headed
Nausea, butterflies in stomach
Difficulty sleeping, concentrating, decision-making

10. Living with Uncertainty
Inevitable
Fuels anxiety & fear
Irritable, angry, frustrated
Worry
Difficult to make plans

11. Coping with worry Talk to someone Write it out Counselling / CBT
Do something else
Mindfulness
Problem solve

12. What is Depression? Low mood on most days Loss of interest / enjoyment
Increasing irritability
Easily moved to tears
Feeling slowed down
Thinking life not worth living

13. When should I seek help? When day to day activities are
affected by these
symptoms or
experiences

14. Support from others

15. Impact on relationships
1 out of strain on relationships
4 out of sex life suffered
Macmillan (2006)

16. The cancer survivor's companion
The cancer survivor's companion. Practical ways to cope with your feelings after cancer
Frances Goodhart, Lucy Atkins
2013, Piatkus

17. It helps to … Talk Ask Be physically active Make plans, set goals
Problem solve
Be kind to yourself
Give yourself time

18. Who am I now? What have I learnt from this?
What do I want for myself now?
Opportunity?

19. You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.
Maya Angelou

20. Questions?