Stress and cancer recurrance

Cancer is hard enough, it should not have to come with all this anxiety. I am like you in this. I have asked for help in the past and I take sertraline which helps more than I can convey. I have also learned a few resilience techniques that help me daily. I take a really deep breath and blow it out, blowing out the anxiety. Sometimes I must repeat a few more times. Lol. Then I think of two things I am great full for, one I am grateful for in this minute, and one I am grateful for on this day. Sometimes that helps to me to expel some of the anxiety and move forward. I have friends who stretch and do yoga and stuff after this. I usually just crank up the music and head to the barn where my therapist (spelled, HORSE) lives. I don’t know if any of this helps but I hope you can adopt your own resilient habits. Have you talked to your doctor or a therapist about all this anxiety.

@esikora Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I value the question you have raised. Like so many others who are on a cancer journey, some days can be full of stress and anxiety, whether it is from a treatment, or a scan, or just getting through the next hour! I am on my fourth cancer journey, and end of this month having yet another skin cancer surgery, that will probably change my facial expression [due to invasive cancer in my eyebrow, of all things!].

Stress can indeed play havoc on our system, whether we have cancer, or not, whether we are experiencing severe health issues, or not. Like @auntieoakley said above, resilience techniques offer a great relief. And we each find what will be best for us in a given circumstance. For me, hugging a horse works wonderfully. If not available, journaling and getting the thoughts out on paper can work. So can going for a walk, or doing something creative. There are times the stress creates an outburst of energy that is only addressed by doing something! Other times I need to honor the stress response of sheer exhaustion.

Listening to your body and mind, honoring what works best for us, is something we get to do for ourselves. I also work with a therapist who helps me see the whole picture, and allows me the venting space so needed.

What will you do today to address your stress?
Ginger

You seem to have your stress under control. Exercise is my go -to....I've heen a casual runner for years.I've also practiced a bit of yoga and meditation for years, and have started to talk to a therapist. I am hoping that these practices are effective at the cellular level.

Ginger I did not realize you have had so many bouts with cancer. Bless you, my one had me at my with end at times.

I’m happy to see someone with your resilience. I also have had multiple instances with cancer. In my twenties I had cervical cancer three years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and now I am getting a biopsy for nodules on my thyroid. My mantra since my mid twenties has always been “You cannot control what happens in your life, only your attitude about it.” I’m not super woman, and I have my moments, but fretting and anger doesn’t work for me, when I’m done I still have cancer. I prefer to use that energy to get well. To that end, I research to be as informed as possible and research strategies that have worked for others. This forum is one of many avenues that bring hope and caring. I live the idea of service dogs and horse hugging. My dog is part of my bad day solace. Hugging her and taking her for a walk always put me on the road to a better day. Shelters live having people hug and play with animals if you don’t have one. Good luck all.

@esikora, you may wish to take Mayo Clinic's self-learning course to help people (patients and caregivers) living with cancer to manage stress.

You can work through the modules at your own pace to help you better understand how the body may respond to stressful situations, including cancer. You'll get various tools and techniques to meet physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, as you learn to manage stress.

Go directly to the free online course
– Stress Management for Cancer https://mccmscontent.mayo.edu/LSC/stress-management-for-cancer/content/index.html#/

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