Strategies For Coping
March 19, 2010Article from: LRFA’s Lymphoma Update newsletter,
Spring 2001, Volume 2 number 1
When cancer is diagnosed, the denial that life goes on forever is replaced with the knowledge that life is finite. Normal responses include fear, anxiety, sadness, and a sense of loss, which may become more intense depending on the diagnosis and prognosis. A treatment plan for lymphoma must include strategies to respond to the inevitable psychological distress and should assist in the day-to-day living with the disease. No one chooses cancer, but many patients and family members take away deeper understanding and meaning about life. Here are 13 ideas to help live with the diagnosis:
Join a support group. Groups provide the opportunity to share your story with others and allow for the possibility of giving and receiving support. It is important to talk about positive and negative feelings with others who understand.
Write, write, write. Research indicates that writing about trauma helps. Start a journal and write about the experiences, feelings and reactions.
Look for hope. One can feel hopefulness about many things: having a good day, the sun shining, love from other. Find activities and experiences where hope is nourished.
Spirituality and faith. Seek comfort in spiritual and faith practices. Sometimes this may mean exploring new communities or revisiting old ones.
Lean relaxation skills. Deep breathing, guided imagery and meditation are all means to induce the relaxation response, which have known benefits for quality of life, well-being and immune functions.
Talk to yourself with love, hope and caring. How you talk to yourself can alter how you feel. Examine your internal dialogue. Look for ways to make this encouraging and empowering.
Give to others. One of the best antidotes to sadness is the joy that comes in giving to others. Look for ways to give in words or deeds.
Seek individual counseling. Individual therapy can be especially helpful during this time. Find someone who understands cancer and talk about your ongoing concerns.
Consider medication. Some patients benefit from medication to stabilize mood and generate a better sense of well-being. Consult with a psychiatrist, especially if you have a history of depression.
Family and friends. Connection to those you love brings meaning to life. Call upon family and friends for emotional support and a dose of laughter.
Regulate and control the possible. Eating well, sleeping regularly, utilizing stress reducing techniques, seeking information, following treatment regimens and nurturing yourself are within your control. Focus energy on these rather than events not in your control.
Be wary of statistics. Statistics about your disease define groups of people. They do not define what happens to you as an individual.
Find meaning. Insights and understandings about life often come from painful experiences. Utilize them as an opportunity to explore who you are, your strengths and what you have learned about life.
Anne Cosarelli, Ph.D., is a psychologist and researcher who has examined quality of life in oncology for more than 20 years.
