Living With Fear

Being a cancer survivor comes with certain levels of fear or anxiety, sometimes even years after successful treatment. This is normal, but it can take some effort to manage that anxiety, accept it and not let it consume you. You have a life to live, no matter where you are in your diagnosis stage, treatment, or recovery.

It can help to determine where this place of fear is coming from. Is it the situation you are in at the doctor's office, the way you feel after treatment, or something else? It is understandable for initial fear to come immediately after your diagnosis, but don't be surprised if it surfaces at other stages as well.

Even 6 years out from treatment, I experience fear and anxiety at appointments or leading up to a scan or test, and I have to assess it. Am I afraid of the test itself, or is it fear of the results? When you start to think about the cause of fear, you might find that the act that is triggering the fear might not be the cause at all.

Recognize when a fear is becoming overwhelming

Fear is natural. We all experience fear at times. It's a powerful emotion. Be mindful of your fears. Try to recognize when fear may be starting to take over your life and how it is impacting your ability to function.

Some signs that fear is taking over are extreme anxiety, or avoiding certain places or people. It is important to recognize these situations and work through them. If these situations seem insurmountable, it's best to seek support from a professional.

Find a healthy outlet

Distraction and creativity can be great tools for controlling anxiety. Find something that makes you feel good, or brings you joy! Some people journal, some run, and some take up yoga or photography. Find something that encourages a creatives, relaxes you, and helps you work through uncertainty.

In the days before a scan, for example, keep yourself busy with something that helps you relax, yet keeps you engaged. This will help the time pass faster in ways that are healthy.

Remind yourself how far you have come

Every morning, when you wake up, remember you have already survived difficulties for so many days before this moment. Some days, we must be our own hype person and remind ourselves that we have survived everything thrown at us so far. Try not to depend solely on others to always know we need a pick-me-up or some encouragement. We must do that for ourselves at times and keep moving forward.

Acknowledge that it is ok to be afraid

Obviously, you have the right to be afraid, no matter what the reason. This is how you are feeling, and it is valid. Never let anyone tell you differently. Just do not remain in that space. Living in fear is not a healthy way to live long term.

Surround yourself with support

Make sure you have the best people for you in your life when you need them. Surround yourself with a hype squad, a source of support, shoulders to lean on, or even cry on. Most important, surround yourself with positive energy. Seek that positivity and embrace it. Allow it to impact you and your feelings.

Sometimes we realize that we have people in our lives who are impacting us negatively at that moment. It is okay to distance yourself from those people. They will either phase themselves out or step up to the plate and be there for you no matter where you are in your diagnosis.
You need to take care of you.