The Effects Of Optimism On Cancer Survival Rate

In the words of Winston Churchill, "The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." When we are optimistic that we can get a job done, or that we can find a cure for a disease, we are more motivated, and we work harder. A scientist who is pessimistic that they will never find a cure for a specific disease will have a mental mind block against finding a cure for a disease, making it considerably harder for them to find a cure. However, a scientist who is optimistic about finding a cure for a disease will be motivated and more focused on their dedication to discovering a cure for a disease such as cancer. When you are optimistic, you are more motivated, and when you are motivated, you are more productive, consequently making optimism a particularly important priority in everyday

Even after Pausch was was given his diagnosis he stayed optimistic, “My personal take on optimism is that as a mental state, it can enable you to do tangible things to improve your physical state. If you’re optimistic, you’re better able to endure brutal chemo, or keep searching for late-breaking medical treatments.” (Pausch, 183) Pausch felt that by remaining positive he would be able to handle the physical pain that comes with cancer, and would have a better chance of beating it or living longer. Pausch’s incredible optimism helped him, and his family, stay strong throughout his limited time left. Because he was able to stay positive, Pausch was able to make the most of the time he had remaining and used it to make memories with his children, get everything settled for his wife and get to spend his last months living life with his family instead of just preparing for death. Pausch’s unimaginable optimism was inspiring throughout The Last Lecture and has inspired me to have a more positive outlook in my own life. In my everyday life if I spend less time complaining and being upset, and focus on being positive and all that I have to be thankful for, my life will be more meaningful. As Pausch said, “We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won’t make us happier.”

Cancer has one of the biggest effects on the patients mental health but also the patients loved ones and friends. It is one of the hardest things to get a grip on when the doctor tells someone that they have cancer and a fifty-fifty chance of making it. "The disease can bring many changes-in what people do and how they look, in how they feel and what they value" (Dakota 4). It makes people look at the world and their lives in a different way, valuing now what they took for granted and seeing the bigger picture in every scenario. It is something that no one can actually brace, even after the doctor tells them. Through it all though, the person must remain strong and optimistic because the cancer can affect the person's moods and in return affect the outcome of the person and the chances of their making it

In order to assess those two areas, the researchers asked the peers, teachers, and parents of each patient to evaluate the patient’s social and emotional wellbeing. Subsequently, the patients also completed a self-report. Contradicting their hypothesis, the children with cancer were found to be more sociable than their counterparts. The results also revealed that children with cancer were more socially accepting and possessed high levels of leadership. With demographic variables being accounted for, children with cancer did not display any significant differences in emotional and social health in comparison to their peers.

Stressors like sudden life changes or strains and catastrophic events (Gill, 2012) are likely to impact negatively on health. Even daily hassles may seem amplified as stress accumulates and effects all aspects of life. For some patients, the event of being diagnosed or experiencing a chronic condition can be traumatic – as may be expected. The ability of these people to assess and adjust effectively determines whether resilience or maladaptation is provoked… To acquire resilience one must deal with stresses in a productive manner. Along with employing other coping methods, seeking or providing social support is one of the simplest ways to implement. Healthcare consumers with strong family connections and who acknowledge their spirituality often adopt positive outlooks and overcome stressful experiences collectively (Gill, 2012). Chronic conditions can drastically alter a patient’s individual needs, in turn, affecting their maintenance of optimism. Needing

treatment continuum, as clients transitioned through the use of mindfulness to hope and then to setting goals, certain results were noted; negative affect began to decrease, while positive affect and quality of life in regards to one’s mental health began to increase (Thornton, et al., 2007). It could be assumed that the use of mindfulness and hope would also demonstrate similar results for those individuals who are experiencing the cancer diagnosis for the first time.

For example, relationships between family members may strengthen and also relationships between one and the patient. During this time, many stories of better times with the patient will be said and thoughts of how the patient impacted their lives for the good. This will result in shared memories that will brighten up not only the day but also the mood. When the time comes that cancer has won its battle, many things will seem to run in one's mind. Not only thoughts of grief and sadness, but also the thoughts of how much of an impact one has made in the life of the patient who had passed. And at the end of the day, knowing that the life of the patient has been change due to the deeds that were done for them is a prize in its

From the article Positive Psychology in Cancer Care: Bad Science, Exaggerated Claims, and Unproven Medicine by James C. Coyne and Howard Tennen, any new treatment introduced to the medical community the theory of a “Fighting Spirit” has come under analysis. While there is no current concrete evidence shown to support the physical effects of a fighting spirit there have been studies to support the positive mental effects of patients taking this stance. I feel that these initial findings should guide the medical community to further test the effects of patients possessing a fighting spirit. I do find it beneficial to promote a “Fighting Spirit” as a coping mechanism to those facing a terminal disease. By bringing out your inner fighting spirit

To be quite candid, reading about cancer still leaves a sense of fear in my mind although, I feel more cautious with what I do in my everyday life in order to lower my chances of forming cancer, not to mention I have also formed a sense of appreciation for life more. Nevertheless, there is still a feeling of fear when I listen to speakers in class such as Dr. Dakhil and Lisa Brown’s state the similar claim of how the question is not if, but when is a repeated reminder that there is still a chance this disease could consume myself as

Cancer Coping Center is a non profit organization devoted to helping those people suffering from cancer and their families. This organization is run by professionals who offer their time and knowledge to those ones in need. They work on helping people relive their pain and suffering.

world, have been related to the causes of many types of cancer. Some of the most

Research on social support and quality of health has shown a significant relationship. Research on social support and health suggest that there is an association with increased life satisfaction. The general evidence on social support among breast cancer patients describes the impact of social networks

As the world continues to suffer from these devastating diseases, researchers continue to find alternative therapeutic ways of addressing cancer treatment. It is on this premise that various immunotherapeutic alternatives have emerged and currently garnering the greatest level of attention and already raising hope throughout the world in addressing the treatment of NSCLC. However, this can no longer be viewed as a discovery but a wave in the medicine world that began in the 20th century. Various researchers have found the importance of the role of immune systems in fighting the growth of tumor caused by cancer cells. A study by Huncharek (2000) stated that specific immune boosters are capable of eliminating preclinical cancers. In contrast, Jermal et al. (2011) found that immunotherapy is an effective approach for the treatment of tumors that have already turned into solid. Similarly, the researchers highlighted that immunotherapy can be an effective approach to the treatment of melanoma as well as renal cell cancers (Lasalvia-Prisco, 2008). However, Jemal et al. (2011) noted that immunotherapy cannot achieve much in cancer treatment due to limitation brought about by the emission of immunosuppressive cytokines and subsequent loss of antigen expressions. Recent development in research studies on the immunotherapy approach to cancer treatment continues to elicit mixed reactions among researchers of medicinal ecology (Jadad et al., 1996). However, recent development in

Being diagnosed with cancer may be one of the most difficult tasks someone could go through. How are they supposed to react? Are they supposed to cry, sit in awe, or be angry? Coping with news like this can be difficult. Not only that, but it could cause so many problems throughout their life. It could cause much more than health issues, but there is also the emotional state of someone’s well being.

Individuals living with cancer frequently experience psychological distress throughout the course of the illness. Psychological distress can interfere with the ability to cope with cancer. The study done by Patterson and McDonald (2015) investigates how young people who participate in mindfulness display less psychological distress and less uncertainty. In another study, it was found that