The dictionary defines an operation as “an invasive medical act to improve the patient’s medical state.” This definition contains the two emotional extremes a person experiences during the surgery period: pain and hope, fear and faith, invasiveness and growth.
Our aim in these explanatory pages is to try and map the emotional aspects connected to surgery so that our patients can prepare properly. This will also prevent the accumulation of negative emotions and raise the patient’s ability to gather his or her strength and confront the challenge in the best possible way.
Often, patients prefer to ignore their fears and anxieties before surgery. This is natural and a recognized defense mechanism. Our aim is not to change this mechanism but to provide a space for all the issues likely to arise, and perhaps offer some solutions and tips so the patient can get through it.
It is important to note that every person is different. Not everyone will experience every issue mentioned in these pages, whether negative or positive. And everyone has the tools and abilities to cope which are right for them.
At the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Center, in the Surgical Gastro Unit, we have a Medical Psychology Service which provides solutions to the emotional issues connected to the disease.
Medical psychological intervention is based on the approach that every human being has the inner strengths to cope with and become used to physical and emotional changes accompanying the illness. Some people manage on their own, through trial and error, finding ways to cope that improve their quality of life and functioning, while others seek professional help or psychological treatment. We believe that even those who are more independent can sometimes benefit from consultation or intervention.