Mesothelioma Cancer - Learning to Communicate Effectively With Your Family Members

It is sometimes difficult to talk about cancer in the family environment. This is comprehensible. Family members may be overwhelmed with emotions about the disease. They may also refrain from talking with the patient for fear of distressing him or her. Although the patient may sometimes feel an urge to be left alone to sort his thinking, it is important that when the patients feel the need to communicate with his family, they must be available as much as they can.
A closed line of communication may instill feelings of mistrust, fear and loss of faith in the future. However the patient may not fool himself and think that the family does not care from him/her. Far from it. Not talking about the subject does not mean that they are not thinking about you but only they that they are afraid to talk about the subject. It is important for the family to listen to the patient. It is not most important for the family members to make a speech but just to listen to the patient when he feels the need to talk. A mesothelioma sufferer may feel the need to talk and to pour his/her emotions. It is important that family members do not talk only about mesothelioma and nothing else. Living with mesethelioma will mean also doing other interesting things. The issue of mesothelioma is not the only issue in your life. You still can do other interesting and productive things.
Children are also members of the family but because of their particular age it is important to deal with them somehow differently from other members of the family. Children are very vulnerable and can easily be impressed and so they should be treated with particular care. It is a mistake to believe that children do not know what is going around. Children will feel that there is something wrong and feel worried as well.
You must find a way to communicate with them about the illness. Their mental development need to be taken into consideration on what to tell them and information should be given step by step. Simple explanation is usually enough but this depends on their mental age. Keep them informed. Encourage them to ask questions. Some children may think that the disease is their fault because of their bad behavior. Reassure them that this is not true. It is important to uniform their school teacher about the situation at home. The teacher will then monitor any change in behavior of the child. If you feel that you are unable to communicate effectively with children about the disease seek help. There are many resources that can help you how to communicate effectively with children.