Emotional Issues

I've decided to create a page on dealing with emotional issues. A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. My cancer journey was a regular roller coaster ride. In the beginning I was an anxiety-ridden basket case who never slept and spent every waking moment on the internet researching my disease. After my surgery I plummeted into depression. This disease takes it's toll on one's emotions even more than it does harm to the body. There are numerous support groups and resources for dealing with the emotional impact of cancer. I'm not going to get into them all here. My focus is on the religious aspect of living with cancer.

However, I do think it's important to be aware of a couple important facts that I've learned along the way. So, I will share them.

  1. The Cancer itself as well as treatment can impact the emotions. The NCCN has an excellent article about mood changes. It stresses the importance of discussing these issues with your doctor to determine the best course of action. 
  2. There are different stages of emotional distress. What seemed impossible and hopeless at one point can evolve to the point that there is hope.
  3. It's important to be pro-active if you need help.  Many treatment centers have a social worker or counseling service that you can talk to. At my treatment center their services were free. If you think you need long term support, call your insurance company and find out what kind of coverage is available to you. Most insurance companies have a provider search engine so you can locate a counselor that's covered under your plan. 
  4. Try different support communities One size does not fit all. There are numerous options out there; cancer social network groups, online chat rooms, and mentoring groups. You can try face to face in your community or on the internet. In my situation, I ended up with After Breast Cancer Diagnosis They were outstanding. 
So, how can my faith help me deal with the emotional issues of a cancer diagnosis? Here are some things that worked for me:

It's a form of art journaling with a religious focus. Instead of writing things out I use pictures. For folks who want to write things out, The Catholic Company has a good article on how to keep a prayer journal.

The Carmelites have a short daily podcast of guided meditation. 

By giving my misery some meaning it was easier to bear. Somehow thinking about Christ's Passion made me feel less alone. God knows what it's like to be miserable.

Knowing that Catholics everywhere all over the world were praying this same prayer at the same time gave me comfort.

Religious & Classical Music
They say that music calms the savage beast and I think that includes cancer patients.

                             
Finally, I want to mention a few non-religious ideas that I used:
  1. Crossword Puzzles-Doing easy level crosswords really helped when the anxiety ramped up and my mind was obsessing about the future
  2. Getting outside-fresh air and sunshine chased away the blues and helped me feel connected to life.
  3. Exercise-Gentle walking gave me an endorphin boost that helped when I was  feeling down.
Everybody is different depending on their diagnosis and situation. But it's important to take care of yourself and to heal emotionally as well as physically. 
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