Tips for Boosting Your Emotional Health During Cancer Treatments
Coping with cancer can be an emotional journey as you navigate the initial diagnosis, treatment, and severity of your disease. However, that’s not to say that your whole experience has to be dictated by grief. Even as you battle against the tumors, there’s hope and the ability to find happiness in your day-to-day life. How? Let’s dive into a few tips on how to boost your emotional health while you’re going through cancer treatments.
1. Find ways to change your environment to boost your happiness.
Our environment and the items that we surround ourselves with play a direct role in our happiness. Whether these are items like the furniture that fill your home or the clothes you wear, making a minor shift in what we choose to surround ourselves with can mean the difference between feeling stagnant or unhappy and feeling more positive about our day-to-day lives.
If your wardrobe hasn’t been updated in a while, consider filling your closet with new dresses and jackets, along with some of the best accessories to accentuate your flair and make you feel confident and powerful (especially if you’re feeling less than your best due to the side effects of chemotherapy—like hair loss or nausea). If your home needs some new design elements, look for furniture and accessories that bring you joy and make you feel happier in the space. No matter what needs change, usher it in and create the external environment you need to feel more energized and positive.
2. Look to understand your cancer and your treatment options.
Not having a clear understanding of your diagnosis or what can be done about it can be a major source of stress for cancer patients. The good news is that keeping your morale and positivity high begins with working more closely with your doctor. For example, one of the treatment options at your disposal may be cancer immunotherapy. Aptly named, immunotherapy utilizes strategies like monoclonal antibodies, treatment vaccines, and T-cell transfer therapy that strengthen the immune system to spur an immune response so that your body can more effectively destroy cancer cells. No matter what type of cancer you have, there are solutions out there designed to help you aggressively fight the disease and improve your quality of life. A great way to feel more in control and maintain hope for the future is to know what your cancer type is and understand all the possible cancer treatments available to you.
3. Make a conscious effort to lead the life that you want.
Cancer can be an eye-opening experience. When you’re faced with a potentially life-threatening disease, you may realize that there’s so much that you’ve yet to do. If you still have the opportunity to, now is the chance to pursue the life that you’ve always dreamt of. Whether that means traveling the world or trying your hand at something like writing your own novel, it’s never too late to pursue projects or plans that make you feel happy and free. If you may not know what these are yet, consider setting aside some time to explore your passions and interests and create a plan for the future. Even though cancer has entered the picture, you’re still in control!
It’s only natural to experience stress and concern when your world has been impacted by a cancer diagnosis. That being said, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the joy of life or only experience negative emotions as you navigate this disease. If you have cancer and are looking for ways to feel happier and more positive about your situation, the guide above will provide you with some insightful tips that you can use to do just that.
