Living with Cancer by Vicki A. Jackson

Author:Vicki A. Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Treating the Anxiety

The other issue your doctor should be asking you about is anxiety. Working harder to breathe causes a lot of anxiety. You are not a wimp because you are feeling anxious about your breathing. It’s really important to treat both of these symptoms. We often suggest cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which can help you manage the anxiety associated with feeling short of breath.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy in which the patient works with a therapist (typically a psychologist) who looks at the interaction of thoughts and behaviors on feelings. In the case of anxiety from shortness of breath, the therapist will work with you to identify certain thoughts and behaviors that will help mitigate the feeling of anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapists can help you develop relaxation strategies to reduce anxiety. This might include visualization, such as imagining being on a mountaintop with lots of air moving around you.

These therapists can also help you reframe the sensation of shortness of breath. Many people worry that these sensations are proof that the cancer is getting worse, and they worry that this can’t be managed. In truth, there are many treatments that will help. The CBT clinician will help you work through these fears, and that alone will help you reduce your general anxiety.

There are other techniques you can use to ease the sense of breathlessness. These may include sitting in front of a fan or keeping car windows open while you drive, which helps make your body feel as though it’s taking in more air.

Sometimes, anxiety becomes so overwhelming that we need to treat it with medications. Benzodiazepines are wonderful anxiolytics (literally “breaking anxiety”) that are quite effective for people with episodic panic attacks. Other medications that can help people feel better with severe anxiety include antidepressants such as citalopram or antipsychotics such as olanzapine.

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