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GP Shares Unspoken Fear: Health Anxiety Post-Cancer
2 Apr
Summary
- Post-cancer health anxiety is a significant, unspoken struggle.
- GP Dr. Krishan experienced this hyper-vigilance after her own treatment.
- Patients need validation and support for this 'aftermath anxiety'.
A Glasgow-based GP has brought attention to a significant emotional side-effect of cancer treatment that she believes is often overlooked: health anxiety. Dr. Punam Krishan, who recently finished her own breast cancer treatment, shared her experience and observations from her practice.
She described this 'aftermath anxiety' as a state where the body and mind remain hyper-vigilant, constantly scanning for signs of recurrence. Dr. Krishan herself experienced this, reacting intensely to minor physical sensations.
This post-cancer hyper-vigilance, a loss of trust in one's own body, is something patients often feel they cannot express for fear of being dismissed. The GP stressed that this is a valid feeling, not an overreaction, stemming from a genuinely traumatic experience.
Dr. Krishan advocates for greater awareness and validation of this mental health challenge. She advises patients to use coping tools and encourages supporters not to minimize these feelings, offering hugs and space for sharing as crucial parts of the healing process.
