Cancer & PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder. Many people associate PTSD with anxiety that can be seen in soldiers, sexual assault survivors, and others who have experienced a frightening or life-threatening situation. Less well understood are the ways that cancer–its diagnosis and associated pain, long hospital stays, regular scans, and more–can trigger PTSD in cancer patients and caregivers.
In the articles collected below, you can learn more about the signs and symptoms of PTSD, how it can be treated, and where to find support.
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- Cancer.Net: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Cancer
- National Cancer Institute: Cancer-Related Post-Traumatic Stress
- National Cancer Institute: PTSD
- Lancet Psychiatry: PTSD and Cancer
- American Council on Science and Health: The PTSD of a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- Breastcancer.org: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After a Cancer Diagnosis