More than 150,000 people with cancer come to a Mayo Clinic site annually. Patients benefit from the knowledge and extensive experience of Mayo Clinic specialists and integrated approach to treating each individual. Reliable, up-to-date education is central to a patient’s cancer care plan. Mayo Clinic provides information and resources to support patients during diagnosis, treatment and life after treatment. Knowledge empowers people to be active partners in their health care.

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Stress Management

Cancer, like all serious illnesses, elicits a high level of the stress response. These educational material offerings provide an opportunity for patients and caregivers to understand how our body responds in these situations as well as provide or demonstrate various tools for relaxation and renewal techniques for physical, emotional, or spiritual needs.

Stress Management for Cancer Online Course:

Click on the image below to access our self-paced and interactive stress management module. We hope you find this helpful, enjoy!

Your cancer experience may affect the way that you feel, think and act. Just as you need to care for your body after treatment, you also need to care for your emotions. Shock, guilt, anger, fear, sadness and depression can all be part of the roller coaster ride of emotions you may feel. Trying a relaxation technique may reduce the amount of cortisol in your body, which eliminates the “fight vs flight” response. This may decrease your heart rate, blood pressure, improve circulation and aide in digestion. You may find some of these techniques helpful:

Focused relaxed deep breathing
Guided meditation
Centering prayer

If worrying is making it difficult to sleep, try keeping a journal at the bedside. Write about your worries, hopes and dreams and then plan a time of day that you feel your best, to review what you have written on a schedule that works for you. Your journal is private, but you may want to discuss any concerns with someone you are close to.

Do things that bring you joy and energize your spirit. Assess your own energy and priorities when you are asked to do something. Give yourself permission to focus on those things that renew your energy and give you joy.

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