All the things mentioned in the video “Being Your Own Wellness Advocate” (found on the Home Page) are important components of being at your peak mental and physical wellness, while you fight your disease, or help your loved one in his or her struggle with cancer. I would like to highlight one thing in particular: stress management while living with cancer.
First, I want to clear up a couple of commonly held misconceptions.
Here’s a quote from a so-called “authority” website: “Stress can do more than just ruin a good day. It may also contribute to chronic inflammation and the development of severe medical conditions such as autoimmunity, irritable bowel disease, heart attack, stroke, depression, hypertension, and even cancer.” WRONG. Stress does not cause cancer, although it may cause some of the other things mentioned. BUT….. Here is another quote:
“….. epidemiological and clinical studies over the past 30 years have provided strong evidence for links between chronic stress, depression and social isolation and cancer progression. By contrast, there is only limited evidence for the role of these behavioral factors in cancer initiation. Recent cellular and molecular studies have identified specific signaling pathways that impact cancer growth and metastasis, showing a clear relationship between psychosocial factors, specifically chronic stress, and cancer progression.” RIGHT. Stress doesn’t cause cancer; but it does feed the mechanisms that make cancer spread.
SO, IT IS WORTH TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!!! There are some tools out there that help you tackle the chronic stress we all deal with in our daily lives. I like one, because it seems to “work” well for couples living in a stress-filled relationship. You may find another technique that suits you better. Before I give you the particulars, I want to set the stage, so to speak, before you and your loved one begin.
Can I ask you (both patient and a primary support person) to take a few minutes to try a simple exercise? Each of you get a pen or pencil and something to write on in front of you, and separately answer the following three questions, off the top of your head.
- Looking back to the weeks and maybe months or so before you (or your loved one) was told about the cancer, describe three things that worried you the most. Think of things along the lines relationship problems, family worries, financial difficulties, work issues, divorce……….
- Now try to remember what three things worried you the most, right after you were told about the cancer diagnosis. What three things worried you most, then?
- Now describe three things that worry you most now, today?
I would be really surprised if you didn’t have three things that were stressful to you before you heard about the cancer. Did you feel like you were totally in control of managing those elements of your BC (before cancer) life? Do you believe that the level of stress in your life when you began living with cancer probably went up? And, combined with the BC stresses, do you and the members of your “home team” think you could consider yourselves on “stress overload” now?
Right now, can we all agree that, even with all the other stuff you are dealing, it is a really good idea to take the time to find some tools and techniques to help you deal with stress more effectively as you continue your cancer journey?
Good decision!! Check out the next blog to get the details of this stress management tool.