Existential Psychotherapy to Improve the Meaningfulness of Life in Advanced Stage of Cervical Cancer Patients: A Case Study

Abstract

Cervical cancer is still a problem for women's reproductive health in Indonesia. Apart from the fact that the incidence rate is still high, cervical cancer in Indonesia still has high morbidity and mortality rates. In Indonesia, it is estimated that there are 40 thousand new cases of cervical cancer each year. Cancer patients experience various existential needs covering emotional, psychological, and spiritual areas. This qualitative research aims to find out how the existential picture of cervical cancer patients. The research subjects were women aged 49 years and 30 years. The research design was a case study. Both subjects were diagnosed with cervical cancer 1.5 years ago and underwent treatment at Prof Ngoerah General Hospital, Denpasar. The subject experienced a conflict of meaning after being diagnosed with cervical cancer. Subjects feel a burden on the family, are not accepted by the environment, isolate themselves, ashamed of having cervical cancer. Existential psychotherapy is one of the treatments for cancer patients to increase the meaning of their lives. As a result, the subject has realized positive things about himself such as self-potential, goals, beliefs, and hopes for his life again. This made the subject do positive things when he returned from Prof. Ngoerah General Hospital so that he feels more meaningful.