AFTER CANCER: FEELING OLD. ANXIETY ABOUT HEALTH OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY
Posted by adminIs It Common to Feel Old Suddenly?
Many of the physical symptoms experienced soon after cancer treatment are similar to those, rightly or wrongly, associated with old age, such as fatigue, decreased mental clarity, increased sleep requirements, and decreased appetite. Many of the insights you have acquired through your experiences may also make you feel older and wiser.
How Can I Transcend Ну Cancer Experience If I Have So Many Physical Reminders?
If you cannot change the physical scars of your experience with cancer, you need to redefine them in such a way that they represent something positive in your life. Cancer survivors can learn to see their physical and emotional scars as badges of courage and accomplishment.
How you feel about your cancer and yourself depends on your state of mind, not body.
What If I Am Anxious about the Health of Myself and My Family?
You have been burned once. You no longer feel safe. You underwent a crisis. You feel that it can happen to someone you love. It is very common to be anxious about your health and that of your family for a while after completing treatment. When you feel well again and have gained some distance from the treatment experience, this anxiety will fade. For some people the anxiety resolves completely. For others it almost resolves but resurfaces easily in the face of any symptom, change, or threat. If this anxiety persists unabated, it must be addressed.
Instead of worrying about how anxious you are, do something about it. Find out quickly whether something is worth worrying about, by getting it checked out. Do not waste your energy trying not to be anxious or worrying that you are being overanxious. You deserve not to have to worry so much. The doctor bills for a problem that turns out to need no treatment may have been avoidable from a medical point of view, but it is worth it for you to be saved some anxiety. If your doctor reassures you that there is no significant problem, be grateful. You cannot know ahead of time which things are going to turn out okay and which are real problems. Remind yourself that you deserve to not worry.
What Can I Do to Be Less Anxious about My Health?
You can take a number of steps to diminish your anxiety about your health:
•Be informed about your follow-ups.
• Know the signs and symptoms for which you should see your doctor.
• Learn about all proven ways to maximize your health and minimize your chance of recurrence.
• Be in tune with your body, recognizing when something is a signal to you that medical
attention is needed.
• Be willing to call your doctor when you suspect that something is wrong.
• Recognize and accept that you cannot control everything. You cannot control every exposure to
food, radiation, additives, pollution, or emotional stress.
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