Psychological Distress and Pain in Cancer: Impacts and Interventions
Research shows that depression, anxiety, and stress significantly contribute to cancer-related pain. Cognitive-behaviour theory suggests that negative thought patterns such as catastrophizing increases pain perception, while social desirability bias imposes barriers on patients’ likelihoods to express their pain. This article explores the impact of psychological distress on cancer patients and examines effective interventions. Over half the patients undergoing cancer treatment experience psychological distress. A 12-month longitudinal analysis demonstrated that addressing psychological factors reduced psychological distress and, in turn, lowered cancer-related pain. Intervention methods such as hypnosis and relaxation with imagery show large effect sizes, suggesting that incorporating these treatments alongside cancer therapies may enhance patients’ psychological wellbeing.
