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Men, Women and Prostate Cancer: A Medical and Psychological Guide for Women and the Men They Love
by Barbara Rubin Wainrib, Ed.D. and Sandra Haber, Ph.D.
Why would independent practitioners be interested in reading a self-help book about prostate cancer? Because each year, 40,000 American men will die of the disease and 175,000 new cases will be diagnosed. That means that the likelihood of us having patients with prostate cancer and/or their wives in our practices becomes more and more likely (not to mention our own families and friends). We know that psychological interventions hasten healing, improve compliance with treatment, and prolong remission in cancer patients. This book will help us to be on the mark with prostate patients, teaching us what we need to know about the disease and its physical and psychological sequelae.
In addition to threatening life, prostate cancer carries with it the onus of sexual dysfunction and lack of virility. As Wainrib and Haber point out, for the man who is concerned enough about the issues because of his age (55+), the additional burden of the diagnosis creates tremendous stress on him and on his relationship with his partner. They address the “hidden struggles” that can attend the illness, such as:
- how to deal with panic, denial, anger or other emotions that commonly arise after diagnosis
- how to build up an effective, reliable, and nurturing network of support among your family and friends
- how to work constructively with doctors and other medical personnel to develop the most effective treatment program and to respond to your specific needs and desires
- how to handle both practical and emotional matters having to do with impotence, incontinence, and other adverse physical effects of the illness or its treatment
The authors deal frankly with couples’ sexual concerns. They write about coping with impotence, choosing and enjoying artificial devises for achieving erection, and dealing with uncertainty and depression. They present practical, useful suggestions that psychologists can share with their patients. Their viewpoint is positive and future-oriented, without being unrealistic.
Drs. Wainrib and Haber have given us a highly readable book, chock full of medical information and cutting edge treatment options and a deep understanding of the psychological impact on the patient and the caregiver/partner. You will want to have read this book and have it handy as a reference when your next prostate cancer patient appears. And you’ll probably want to recommend that the patient have a copy.