Understanding and Battling Time Toxicity

If you’re following the news, chances are you’ve heard that there’s a lot of toxicity in the world these days. Well, we want to talk about one kind you may not have heard of - time toxicity.

Dr. Arjun Gupta from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis defines it as “the time spent in pursuing, receiving and recovering from cancer treatments.” For cancer patients, this may be a new term, but it’s a very familiar feeling. We’ve all gotten to our doctor’s appointments 20 minutes early then wonder how we somehow leave the office hours later. For cancer patients, this is multiplied. So much time feels stolen away from them as they spend countless hours waiting for test results, undergoing treatments like chemo and radiation, and navigating the labyrinthine, often bureaucratic healthcare system. As a result, they spend time agonizing about how much time they are spending addressing their cancer(s). This can be exacerbated especially for Stage 4 and Terminal patients, who are highly aware that their time on Earth could very well be limited, raising the importance and value of each and every day.

Time toxicity starts as a mental toll but can definitely take a physical one, too. Dr. Gupta says, “Then comes the unplanned time toxicity—all the stuff that happens due to physical side effects, such as nausea, dehydration or diarrhea, and all the health care use that comes from these side effects. In our work, we’ve found that for patients with advanced cancer who receive systemic therapy, around half of (their) time toxicity is due to planned treatments and half is due to unplanned treatments.” Unfortunately, the treatments with long-term health benefits, can often cause many immediate, crummy side effects, sucking up even more of their highly precious, non-toxic time.

Our philosophy at The Balm Box has always been to make cancer patients’ time as sweet and savored as possible. Our products are meant to provide calm and comfort when the world around gets more frustrating and complicated. Even still, we know that we can only help their bodies. So, here are some pieces of advice for caregivers while the cancer patients in their lives deal with time toxicity:

• Don’t make everything so serious! - So many of the words we use when talking about cancer - battles, journeys, etc, etc - are so heavy. Can we all just relax a little bit? Dealing with dispassionate hospitals and doctors can be emotionally draining. So, cancer patients still need to have fun and be a little silly. Because, after all, they’re still - you know - human beings. Be sure not to overload their already-heavy mental burden and instead aim to add some levity.
• Touch grass - We don’t know about any hospitals that are outside, in a nice park (yet). There are real health benefits that come with going out in nature for a quick walk! It goes without saying that of course patients should consult with their doctors to know where and how far is safe to walk. But having a walking partner to chat with while getting fresh air and moving around a bit can be enormously therapeutic. 
• Hang out without food - When going through cancer treatments, food is super tricky. Many doctors have different opinions about what is or isn’t okay to eat depending on a patient’s particular treatment plan. Unfortunately, most of the places we meet with people to catch up outside of the house - restaurants, cafes, bars - serve food and drinks that could pose challenges for your loved one. So, if you’re planning a get-together with a cancer patient (and we highly suggest you do!), make sure food isn’t the point. Maybe have a game night, see a movie, or visit a local museum.

We hope these tips can help cancer patients and caregivers address time toxicity, and instead watch the hours joyfully fly by!

Source: https://www.cancertodaymag.org/summer-2024/the-time-factor/