Tips For Coping With A Cancer Diagnosis

Hearing that you have cancer is an absolute bombshell and something that everyone struggles to get their head around. While there is no way to make this feel ok, there are a few steps that you can take following your diagnosis to help you to cope and start this journey off on the right foot.

The specifics will depend on the cancer type and stage, but by following a few pieces of advice, it will put you in the right mindset to start this battle and continue to find happiness in your life. So, if you or somebody that you know has recently been diagnosed, then read on for a few tips:

Get The Facts

First, it is important that you understand as much about your diagnosis as possible. This will include:

• What type of cancer it is
• Where it is located and if it has spread
• Treatment options
• Chances of being cured
• What to expect from treatment (side effects)
• Preventing it from recurring

Venting

Been diagnosed is life changing and incredibly upsetting, so you need to find a healthy outlet for your emotion. Do not shy away from your feelings as it is healthy to vent whether this is crying, shouting, exercise, talking it through with a loved one or any other outlet.

Support Network

Leading on from this, this is not a battle that you should go through alone so you need a good support network of friends and family. It can be helpful to have somebody attend appointments with you and somebody who you can talk to, but it can also be helpful to have people to distract you and have fun with. Many people find attending cancer support groups to be immensely helpful too.

Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle

Exercise and a healthy diet can be helpful in terms of helping you to battle through, but it is also good for your mental health so make sure that you are looking after yourself and staying active. This can be challenging particularly during treatment, but any type of activity is helpful even if it is just a short walk each day.

Consider Finances

Unfortunately, a cancer diagnosis can also create financial difficulties so this should be an area that you consider. You may also want to think about arranging life insurance and find a policy through a brokerage like Insurance Geek. Handling the financial side early allows you to focus all of your efforts on getting better.

Find Coping Strategies

Everyone needs to find strategies that help them to cope with the difficulties of diagnosis. This might involve:

• Exercise
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Relaxation techniques
• Listening to music
• Keeping a journal
• Speaking with a counselor/support group

Nothing will prepare you for a cancer diagnosis and there is no way for this to be ok, but following these tips shortly after should help you to cope with the difficulties and start your treatment in a healthy mindset which can make a huge difference to your general wellbeing during this difficult time.