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The emotional impact of living with cancer can be overwhelming. It is common to feel anxious and, at times, even depressed. If these emotions lead to anxiety attacks, insomnia, loss of appetite, lack of interest in normal activities, or a preoccupation with death, or interfere with work or relationships, it is time to ask your doctor for a referral to a mental heath professional for diagnosis and treatment. Your doctor should be able to recommend a social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist who specializes in the care of people with cancer.
In order to maintain hope and optimism many cancer patients join support groups. Listings of support groups in your area can be found through your doctor or online. Many support groups specialize in certain types of cancer. If you have children, it may be beneficial to include your children in support groups for children of parents with cancer. These organizations are becoming more and more popular and provide children with an outlet to share their pain with others who are in similar situations. They may relate to other children better than adults who are trying to help. Surround yourself with positive people and inspiration. Make treatment enjoyable. One mother allowed her children to paint her head, bald from radiation, in a creative way. Another took pictures with her friends in their favorite hats. Take a stroll down memory lane by looking through family photo albums. Don’t have any? Create photo albums from your family’s stack of photos. If you are in the hospital for an extended stay, encourage a family member to set up a schedule of visitors for you. Visits make the time in the hospital go by quicker and encourage meaningful conversations that strengthen bonds. In the most severe case of cancer, terminal illness, it may be comforting to make sure that your family is taken care of when you are gone. Creating a will and making funeral arrangements may help you feel at peace with what will happen once you are gone. Your decisions will put you in control of your future.
Below are some links to useful information: National Cancer Institute: National Cancer Institute: American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO): |
Coping with Cancer 