Coping with Cancer Treatment, Before, During and After
Cancer is a common experience; in fact, the American Cancer Society website states “Nearly half of all men and a little more than one-third of all women in the United States will have cancer during their lifetimes”. The good news, as the site goes on to say, is that “you may feel better knowing that the outlook for many people diagnosed with cancer is very good. Many people still believe that “cancer = death.” But the fact is that most cancers can be treated. There are more than 14 million people living in the United States today who have or had cancer” (2015).
When you get a cancer diagnosis, you may feel like your hair is on fire. The good news is that many cancers are physically treatable. While there are chemotherapies and other known protocols for treating many, if not most, of the common cancers, what about the psychological and emotional impact? As a prominent oncologist from Davis, CA said, it is typical for a cancer patient to put on a “game face” while in treatment, and to successfully weather the physical challenges inevitably accompanying the treatment… then a few months after treatment, the patient may find him or herself facing anxiety. Anxiety is the feeling of unease, worry, and fear, a natural response to the challenges of being diagnosed and treated for a major health condition such as cancer. In many situations, family and friends are supportive during treatment, and share your joy and relief when it is done. You are often then on your own; your loved ones may, literally or figuratively, dust off their hands and proclaim that it’s over, you’re healthy, and it is time to get back to normal. You may feel anything but normal – there are the continuous follow-up visits to doctors, tests and scans, physical recovery from surgeries or the treatment. You may feel exhausted, and while pleased to be recovering from the process, you now are also likely facing the task of adjusting emotionally to all that has happened.
Psychotherapy can be an excellent means of support as you or a loved one deal with cancer, whether at the time of diagnosis, during treatment, or after treatment is done. I provide a therapeutic environment where you will feel safe to talk through all that you have experienced, and are continuing to experience after this major life event. Together you and I will process through all that you wish to discuss and progress on your path to find your “new normal”.
Reference
American Cancer Society. (2015). Retrieved March 5, 2015 from www.cancer.org
Toni Rey, LMFT
Resources