How Stress Management and Good Relationships Improve Results in Surgery
Over 80% of adults experience “high” stress these days, feeling more intense or poorly regulated emotions than when they are not so stressed. While some stress is good, long-term stress or short bursts of high levels are not and have significant health impacts such as a poorly functioning immune system and heart attack. Stress can cause poor health, but poor health or changes in health can cause worsening stress.
Surgery itself is stressful! For the patient AND family members and friends! Not only is undergoing the operation the cause of stress, but so are the changes at home and work and life demands during the recovery period. Successful recovery is related to the overall level of stress in a patient’s life. Anxiety and pessimism before surgery are associated with more pain after surgery. Those who had had stressful life events within 6 months of surgery have a harder recovery than those who have not. It is well known in nearly every culture that strong relationships lead to happier lives with fewer health problems. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that if the patient has subjectively good social support and relationships before surgery, he/she/it had less postoperative anxiety, pain, and shorter hospital stay.
Mental health and relationship health are becoming more mainstream and acceptable now, and thank goodness for that. Stress over surgery is a perfect health concern for integrating eastern and western treatments. Western therapies such as anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications change our brain’s chemistry. The alternative approaches and coping mechanisms can change our biochemical and physiological responses as well, such as working to calm the vagus nerve which slows our heart rate, lowers our blood pressure, and decreases production of stress hormones that have long lasting effects. Meditation is easier than ever to access and once in practice, has enormous use in stress and difficult times. The concept of staying present is powerful and underused in western medicine. Acupuncture has treated stress for thousands of years. Working to optimize sleep quantity and quality allows us to cope better when faced with internal and external stressors. Melatonin has been shown to decrease anxiety in breast cancer patients before surgery. Self-compassion is not about being easy on ourselves, it is about acknowledging the difficulties and stressors in our lives and how to live best with them. Other options include breathing techniques and of course therapy with mental health experts.
Check with your health providers before making any significant changes, additions, or deletions to your current health program. And if you are having feelings of hurting yourself or others, please call a professional or help hotline immediately, even if it doesn’t feel like a good idea. It’s okay to get help, it really is.
