Being diagnosed with cancer is a big deal. It’s a huge negative life event. And usually leads to sadness, uncertainty, worry, fear, disappointment, anger and adjustment difficulties – justifiably so.
There is little that can ease the shock of a new cancer diagnosis. But talking through all the jumbled thoughts and fear can aid our brains to process things with more clarity, taking away some of the overwhelm. Whilst it is normal to feel distressed while living with cancer, it is also important to seek help when the distress is prolonged – even if it’s not necessarily severe.
But sometimes you may want to talk about things that your family or friends do not agree with or don’t understand, and this is when it might help to seek outside counseling. A counselor can help you to find different ways of coping that might not have occurred to you more objectively than those closer to you. And because counseling is confidential, you can be honest about what is bothering or worrying you.
Seeking help is important when your feelings affect your ability to cope with your daily life, and there is a lot of evidence that counseling can help you better process any difficulties you might face during and after cancer. Seeing someone who is professionally equipped and skilled can help you to cope with your own reactions to cancer, your family and relationship issues, your personal issues, and any practical issues that may need to be dealt with during treatment, thereby reducing stress and improving quality of life.
Further broken down, counseling may help you to:
- learn ways to cope with your cancer diagnosis and feel less overwhelmed and more in control
- explore what your cancer experience means to you
- manage depression and anxiety
- manage cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, such as pain and fatigue
- learn how to communicate effectively with the healthcare team
- address relationship issues with family and friends
- discuss financial concerns and identify helpful resources
- explore options and get feedback about important decisions
- consider workplace issues and strategies to manage them
- discuss your concerns about what comes after finishing treatment
- learn how to help your family understand and adjust to changes in routine
- explore concerns around intimacy and sexuality
Counseling can be offered in different formats, depending upon your finances, your needs and your preferences, including individual counseling, couples/family counseling, or group sessions.
Ultimately, cancer is huge – from the shock of diagnosis, to coping through treatment, to picking up the pieces and moving forward after treatment. If there is something along the way that could help, it may be worth exploring. If you’re not sure how to access counseling, please chat to your GP or give us a call at Rare Cancers Australia on 1800 257 600 or email [email protected]
Authored by Dr Emily Isham