Treatment for perioperative anxiety
Global superstar Angelina Jolie had both breasts removed a few years ago; US singer Anastacia decided to take the same step after her breast cancer returned.
Mastectomies, abortions, heart or spinal surgeries and other procedures that are perceived as a threat to one’s life, relationship or physical integrity not only cause strong physical changes, but leave mental scars too. They can affect a person’s dignity, body image and self-worth and lead to problems in dealing with oneself and others.
Questions of personal identity arise too and negative changes can manifest themselves in relationships, including diminished sexuality and resulting life crises.
Major indicators of perioperative anxiety include:
- Threatened physical integrity
- Threatened self-image
- Fear of survival
- Anxiety about anesthesia
- Fear of surgery
- Loss of confidence in the body
Taking care of mental health as well as physical health
Modern medicine is very advanced and nowadays incredible amounts of things are possible. Even serious diseases that were once considered untreatable can now be treated successfully. However, in many cases this requires a massive surgical intervention. Such interventions often involve considerable risks, can massively change the body and therefore also have a big impact on the patient’s life and their attitude towards it going forward.
The fear and uncertainty of what will come or remain, not knowing how to deal with upcoming physical changes or restrictions, but also the anxious wait to see how a partner, other close relatives or others in your social circle will react, are understandably often very distressing and can become life-dominating.
Before, during and after any operation, the focus is usually on the physical effects and complaints. After all, the goal is to get well. The attending doctors are usually very well trained for this and can give good advice accordingly. However, those affected are often left alone with all the worries, fears and needs that go beyond this.
When the physical therapy is over and the “new normal” begins, there is often no contact person available. If problems arise here where familiar coping mechanisms fail, this can lead to various issues, from acute psychological stress to a serious psychological crisis in the long term.
Effects on everyday life and secondary illnesses
Those affected then increasingly lose confidence in their own abilities, their own value and the meaningfulness of their existence. Since nothing can be done about the supposed cause (i.e. the physical defect itself) the feeling of powerlessness, hopelessness and despair can spread and/or feelings of anger and sadness about one’s own fate can increase.
If the affected person does not receive adequate help in time, there is a serious risk that the crisis will worsen and that other mental illnesses will develop, such as:
The symptoms of perioperative anxiety
It is therefore very important to take the first signs of perioperative anxiety seriously. Every person reacts differently to massive physical interventions such as operations, amputations or other serious treatments such as chemotherapy. However, there are certain symptoms that are particularly typical and which you should look out for:
- Anger, fear and despair
Massive anxiety, panic attacks, negative thought loops and frequent crying, as well as anger, resentment, aggression and self-harm, belittling of one’s own abilities, self-pity and the feeling of despair all strongly indicate that the inner balance has been permanently disturbed.
- Inner tension and stress
The same applies to symptoms of stress, such as constant nervousness, sleep disorders, noticeable motor restlessness, concentration disorders, strong irritability, frequent headaches and stomach aches or digestive problems. This is because difficult life situations that lead to problems for which there is no permanent solution always cause severe stress.
- Depressive feelings
Typical of perioperative distress are depressive moods with subdued emotions and a persistent lack of joy, as well as a feeling of exhaustion and strong grief over the loss of one’s former life. Other warning signs that should be taken seriously are withdrawal from social relationships, a marked decline in self-esteem and self-confidence, a lack of emotion and a permanent lack of drive, as well as suicidal thoughts.
How can you treat perioperative anxiety?
Massive surgical interventions or medical treatments with lasting physical effects should not only be treated physically, but always holistically. After all, everything that happens in one part of the body also affects other parts of the body and, most importantly, has a massive impact on the psyche.
Unfortunately, until now classic orthodox medicine has paid little attention to the fine interplay between body and soul, as well as the effects of the different bodily functions on each other. As a rule, diseases are treated selectively within the relevant specialist field. If an operation has to be performed, the affected area of the body is treated medically and how the psyche copes with the physical changes is largely left up to the individual.
The CALDA Clinic can help you!
We strongly believe that the body cannot heal without healing the soul too!
As a patient of the CALDA Clinic you will therefore receive a tailor-made and highly effective precision therapy in line with holistic principles.
Our one-on-one therapy is holistically oriented. This means that in addition to scientifically founded methods from classical medicine, you will also be treated with particularly proven healing methods from complementary medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and orthomolecular medicine.
Psychotherapy, hypnosis treatments and hypnotherapy may also help you to release possible fears and blocks, to reactivate hidden resources, to adopt new positive perspectives and to regain the courage to face life.
In order to provide you with the best possible support, we work in a strongly solution-oriented way across several disciplines that work on different levels. In this way, extraordinary results can be achieved within a short period of time.
The CALDA Concept
Our guiding principle and our promise to you:
We treat the causes, not the symptoms!
Whenever possible, we work without psychotropic drugs!
We dedicate our time and our entire know-how exclusively to one single client.
Comprehensive diagnostics are the basis of The CALDA Concept
At the centre of our work is an extremely broad and in-depth diagnosis, which helps us to uncover disease correlations that would otherwise often not have become visible.
Here you can find detailed information about the many different features and advantages of the CALDA Concept as well as the different programs on offer at the CALDA Clinic.
If you are experiencing the first signs of perioperative anxiety, we recommend the CALDA Full Program.