Other people feel the way you do

When you are diagnosed with cancer, you may feel a lot of different and complicated emotions.¹You may feel lonely, but many other people with cancer feel the same way as you do.

Did you know that:

1 in 3 people affected by cancer feel lonely or isolated²

Around 1 in 5 people with cancer suffer from depression³

25% of people with lung cancer feel sad⁴

There is no “right” or “wrong” reaction to a cancer diagnosis; you may feel all, or some, or even none of the emotions listed above. Everyone is different; your response will be affected by who you are and what you believe.⁵

No matter what emotions you feel in relation to your cancer, it is important to try to cope with them:

Take good care of yourself physically, by eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise⁶
Learn self-help relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga⁶
Ask your doctor or nurse for support and advice⁷
If talking to your family and friends helps you, let them know⁸
Consider professional support from a psychologist⁷

You might find it helps to talk to other people with cancer about how you feel:

Consider joining an online forum, for instance via one of these cancer information websites, to chat with other patients about how they feel; sharing experiences in this way might make you feel less alone¹
You can also meet with other people with cancer by joining a local support group of people who may understand some of what you are going through; click here for a list of groups in your region^1,6

If you do not feel comfortable talking to other people about your feelings, here are some other suggestions:

Write your feelings down in a notebook or diary, either on paper or on your phone or computer⁸
Try doing things you really enjoy⁸
Try distracting yourself; lose yourself in a favourite hobby such as photography or crafts⁸
Look at what you can control in your life, for instance by drawing up a daily schedule⁸

Glossary

References