The Relief of Existential Suffering
Abstract
Advanced and progressive illnesses bring existential suffering to patients as an inevitable consequence of the disease and its treatment. Physicians need a typology of existential distress to aid its recognition and improved management. The major forms of existential challenge include (1) death anxiety, (2) loss and change, (3) freedom with choice or loss of control, (4) dignity of the self, (5) fundamental aloneness, (6) altered quality of relationships, (7) our search for meaning, and (8) mystery about what seems unknowable. An adaptive response to each challenge promotes equanimity, peace, and fulfillment while sustaining engagement with life, creativity, and joy. Physicians can do much to nurture courage and maintain each person's sense of meaning, value, and purpose.
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Adults with advanced cancer report a range of palliative care challenges, including anxiety and depression, spiritual/existential needs, fear of dying/death, and physical symptoms.
“Adults with advanced cancer report a range of palliative care challenges, including anxiety and depression in the face of imminent loss and how to make the most of their remaining time, spiritual/ existential needs related to making sense of their illness, fear of dying/death, and physical symptoms [4–11].”
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- Authors
- Kissane, D. W.
- Affiliations
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kissane, David W.
- ORCID
- Kissane, David W.
- Venue
- Archives of Internal Medicine
- Publisher
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Published
- 2012-10-22
- Volume
- 172
- Issue
- 19
- Pages
- 1501
- ISSN
- 0003-9926 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2072384652
- Cited by
- 175
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6
- FWCI
- 10.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Archives of Internal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Keywords
- existential suffering, advanced disease, progressive disease, fear of death, loss and change, loss of control, self-dignity, aloneness, meaning in life, mystery, adaptive coping, physician role, palliative care
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Anxiety, Attitude to Death, Existentialism, Humans, Quality of Life, Stress, Psychological, Terminal Care
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