Common emotional struggles that cancer survivors have:
1. “I am fearful of cancer relapse and cannot stop worrying about it.”
• One of the most concerning issues that the cancer survivors have is the fear of cancer relapse. Although we cannot control whether if the cancer relapses, we can control how much the fear and worries can affect our life.
• Identify your trigger factors. Such as being self-conscious and anxious over bodily aches or discomforts.
• Talk to someone about it. Family, friends and support groups can be your biggest supporters.
• Consider Counselling services. Counsellors work with cancer survivors to help them accept that the fear of cancer recurrence and uncertainty are a normal part of the cancer experience.
• Focus on Physical and Mental Wellness. Healthy diets and engaging in physical activities also enhance overall well-being.
2. “I should not talk to others about my fears and worries, it will only make me feel worse.”
• It is challenging in admitting how we feel.
• It is OK to feel the way we do.
• Talking about the problem helps individual to make sense of the reality.
• Motivates us to start working on our problems.
• To help the health care team to better understand our needs.
• At times, we might feel that others are unable to understand what we have gone through. And this makes it hard to relate to others and can lead to loneliness.
• Don’t deal with loneliness alone. Consider seeking psychosocial services or support groups.
3. “A positive attitude is all I need to fight cancer.”
• Positive attitude serves to improve the quality of life during treatment and recovery.
• Instead of curing cancer, it helps us to view the condition in a positive light and better adherence to treatments.
