Managing Emotions during your Cancer Journey

It is normal to experience different emotions during your cancer treatment journey. Do recognise these changes and learn to cope and overcome them successfully to move to the next stage of your life.    

Change of Emotions

Cancer will disrupt your normal life schedule and interrupt your work and social life.  It may also force you to make changes to your future and deal with the chance of dying. During this time, you may feel many different negative emotions:

• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Loneliness & Isolation
• Fear & Anger
• Frustration
• Feeling out of control

But many people with cancer have also reported positive emotions too. These positive changes can be emotional, spiritual, or intellectual such as

• Appreciation for the strength of your body
• Peace & Gratitude
• Awareness and appreciation that life is short and special
• Grateful for meaningful relationships with caregivers and new friends you will meet
• A shift in your priorities
• Clarity about meaning in life and personal goals

Click to view PCC video on Emotions & Cancer (English)

Coping with Emotions

Here are some tips to help cope with these emotions flooding into your mind

• Allow time to adjust and accept the cancer and the treatment you will need to go through
• Treat yourself with compassion and kindness
• Stay calm and embrace humour & happiness again
• Do not be shy to ask for and accept help to do tasks which may take too much of your energy
• Get back to physical activity as exercise or sports make you feel more energetic
• Join in your usual social activities to bring back meaning of life to you
• Reach out to your network of friends and family who can support and help you feel positive
• Talk with others who have been in similar situations such as cancer survivors or counsellors

Disclaimer. TELEME blog posts contains general information about health conditions and treatments. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such. 

If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.