A disease like cancer is usually one among the foremost stressful experiences of an individual’s life. Coping with cancer is tougher with added stress from work, family, or financial concerns. Everyday stress also can make dealing with a cancer diagnosis harder . patients can develop a way of helplessness or hopelessness when stress becomes overwhelming. This response is related to higher rates of death, although the mechanism for this outcome is unclear. It may be that folks who feel helpless or hopeless don’t seek treatment when they become ill, surrender prematurely on or fail to stick to potentially helpful therapy, engage in risky behaviors like drug use, or don’t maintain a healthy lifestyle, leading to premature death.
Stress has not been shown to cause cancer. But chronic stress may weaken the system , causing other health problems and decreasing feelings of well-being.
Stressors are sources of stress. Some stressors are predictable and, therefore, sometimes avoidable. You can often lower the quantity of stress in your life by making small changes. Emotional and social support can help patients learn to deal with psychological stress. Such support can help in reducing levels of depression, anxiety, and disease and treatment related symptoms among patients up to a great extent.
• Avoid scheduling conflicts. Use a day planner, your phone, or an online calendar to keep track of appointments and activities. When you schedule activities, allow plenty of time to complete 1 activity before starting the next. If you find managing your schedule overtire then ask someone you trust to assist review your appointments.
• Be aware of your limits. If you are doing not have the time, energy, or interest, it’s okay to politely decline when people ask you to require on tasks. Do not feel guilty over saying no. A cancer diagnosis is life-changing, and that specialize in the things that matter most makes sense. At work, do not volunteer for projects that would make your workload unmanageable
• Ask for help. It is also common sense to ask family, friends, and coworkers for help. People are likely to offer their support, so think about particular tasks you would like help with beforehand. People appreciate having the ability to assist in specific ways.
• Prioritize your tasks. Make a list of the things you routinely do, such as work and household chores. Rank this stuff by importance, considering the things you want to do and therefore the things that are most vital to you.
• Break down tasks into smaller steps. Sometimes large tasks are often done in smaller steps. This process can make seemingly overwhelming problems easier to handle.
• Get help with financial problems. Talk with an oncology caseworker or a financial advisor who knows about cancer-related insurance and financial matters
Relaxation techniques
- Relaxed or deep breathing. This includes profound, slow breathing while at the same time focusing on filling the lungs and loosening up muscles.
• Mental imagery or visualization. This helps you create peaceful and relaxing images in your mind which will ultimately decrease stress level.
• Meditation. With this method, you’ll learn to relax your mind and focus on an inner sense of calm.
• Biofeedback. This technique can teach you to relax and control your body’s response to stress by listening to signals from the body.
• Yoga. Yoga concentrates the brain on breathing and stance to give unwinding and lessen weakness.
