According to the CURE ( Cancer Updates, Research & Education) Magazine your emotional reaction to cancer will depend on various factors that include your support system, coping style and perception of illness.
As we struggle with issues of diagnosis and treatment, we may also face the social pressures that come from well-meaning friends who want more than anything for us to be OK. Psycho-oncologists address the emotional needs of cancer patients and have determined that a healthy adjustment to a cancer diagnosis includes three phases - initial response, distress, and adjustment - that will take us through a normal grieving process.
The initial response to a cancer diagnosis is often shock and disbelief, followed by a period of distress characterized by mixed symptoms of anxiety and depression. As we learn about our options and begin to see a treatment plan form, we will enter into the adjustment mode.
During this early time, we may experience persistent sadness, in addition to:
- Anxiety and depression
- Decreased interest in sexual activity
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering and/or making decisions
- Insomnia or oversleeping
- Weight and appetite loss
- Restlessness and/or irritability
Many of these symptoms might be considered unhealthy, but for a person with cancer they are a normal part of the process of dealing with a new reality.
Each person is on their own journey. Be encouraged to cope the best way you know how. If you're not sure, then I highly recommend seeking advice from a counselor.
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