Cancer continues to be a significant medical concern, as the number of cases increases rapidly every year. At least 3 out of every 4 families will have a member diagnosed with some cancer. Today, the cancer survival rate is astronomical, and you or a loved one are learning to manage your lives again after the disease and treatments, and the many challenges you’ve had to overcome.
People who have had cancer have unique needs, and require the support of family, friends, and cancer organizations to help enhance the length of life, and the quality of life. Some tips can help manage these challenges throughout your cancer treatment.
Be socially active
Cancer and cancer treatment can affect the emotional aspect of daily living. You may experience stress, anxiety, depression, memory impairment, and poor concentration. All of these events can influence your psychological responses. Specific declines in the functional activity and performance status may be of vital concerns to you. Just knowing that all of this is common, and you are not the only one affected by these events. Try to stay socially active by engaging in conversations with others, and talking with a professional such as Singapore oncology consultant, who can guide you throughout the treatment.
Identifying the triggers
Cancer treatments can allow plenty of time for negative thoughts that can be responsible for much of the emotional feelings experienced. Identifying the triggers that may cause this distress can help bring about positive change and better self-awareness.
Repeat a phrase, a poem, a prayer, or a song that has brought you comfort. It may help to remember that you are not alone and that others have also walked this path, and emerged even more resilient.
Maintain your health
When you have cancer and are receiving cancer treatments, one of the essential things needed is to maintain your body weight. Treatments can leave you with a loss of appetite, so weight loss is inevitable. It would help if you got the nutrients needed to keep the body healthy. If you can not eat a full meal, try eating several small meals throughout the day. A side effect of cancer treatment is diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, sores in the mouth, or changes in taste. These will cause you to eat less or not at all. Nutrition is an essential component of dietary health during cancer treatments.
If you can work while taking cancer treatment, this will help make you feel more like yourself. You may feel lonely and isolated, and being around people can be very comforting.
Take a worry break
It is natural to worry about your situation, but it is not good to spend an entire day worrying about your anxieties. Schedule a worry break each day where you can pay from 20 to 30 minutes drowning in your sorrows.
After that, let it go until the next day. You will find it easy to postpone the worrying when it creeps in before time. You will have an allocated time to see what your biggest insecurities are and contain them to the specified scheduled time frame.
It’s not just you
One of the challenging things to consider when you have cancer is to get rid of the “why me” attitude. It is important to remember that cancer has been around for more years than anyone can remember, and you are not the first nor the last to have the disease. There are some preventative measures for certain types of cancer, but because you did not take precautions should not be a reason to put yourself down. Cancer treatment is the best option for surviving the disease.