Coping Emotionally: How to Come to Terms with Cancer

Cancer and stress

Being diagnosed with cancer is a shocking and emotionally devastating experience. How you choose to cope with the disease is a personal decision. However, it is important to find healthy ways to cope. Here are a few ways to cope emotionally with cancer.

Understanding your Diagnosis

One of the best ways to cope up the stress of cancer is by better understanding the disease. It is important to ask your doctor different questions about the diagnosis. Ask about the type of cancer you have, what treatments are available, the prognosis of the disease, required surgeries, any hospices near me, and the effect cancer will have on your health. While these may be difficult questions to ask, the information will help determine the best course of treatment. 

Find Support System

Fighting cancer does not have to be a lonely battle. There will be many support systems available throughout your treatment. Cancer is both a physical and emotional toll, and you need to know how to cope up the stress of cancer. It is important to find support systems for every aspect of your health. Mental healthcare is just as important as physical healthcare. Build a support system with people that you have strong personal and emotional bonds with. For most people, this will be their friends and family members. The doctors and nurses at the hospitals can also be part of this support system. 

There are also support groups, counselors, and online forums where you can connect with others. Many of these groups are great for emotional support. What makes these support systems different is that they are specific to certain illnesses. These spaces allow individuals who are experiencing similar feelings and concerns to freely express themselves. Being able to relate to people can dismiss feelings of isolation.

Engage in Creative Activities

Creative activities have long been used as a form of therapy, which helped millions of people to cope up the stress of cancer. Many people get a sense of calm and relief from engaging in a creative exercise. Journaling, writing, drawing, painting, and sculpting are all great activities that help express positive emotions. If there are other creative activities that you enjoy, keep engaging in them throughout treatment. Do not let cancer stop you from doing the things you love. These activities can also help redirect focus onto something else besides your diagnosis, even for a short time. Creative sessions help elevate mood and reduce the risk of developing depression and anxiety.

Find Support For Those Around You

It is important to understand how a cancer diagnosis affects family members. Emotional and mental health also affects physical health. Being overwhelmed by others’ emotions can have devastating effects on your overall health. Ensuring that everyone has support for their emotional health guarantees a strong support system.  

Friends and family will have their own feeling toward your diagnosis. Your loved ones’ emotional well-being is just as important as your own. Finding a support system such as a counselor or a support group for family and friends will help them cope with their own feelings. Your loved ones need emotional and mental support from those in a similar situation, just as you do.  

Everyone’s cancer journey is unique. Finding activities that make you happy is the foundation for a healthy recovery. This will not only help you to cope up the stress of cancer but also help you find a better life to live. These are just a few ways to cope with a cancer diagnosis. You are welcome to find other ways and incorporate them into your life.

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About the Author: Kabbyik

Kabbyik Mitra, a voracious reader and health writer. He is a health & lifestyle journalist. Kabbyik is a yoga enthusiast practicing yoga for last 7-year. He is a certified yoga therapist, a science writer, communicator and journalist. He has been practicing yoga and training people to live a healthy and happy life. Get in touch with him via email: yogatoall2016@gmail.com for any yoga related queries.

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