The first thing to deal with cancer is the impact of its acknowledgment. Everyone reacts in different ways and reactions will evolve, not necessarily in a positive way. Despair, disbelief, feeling unlucky, anger, depression, anxiety (this was my dominant feeling), fear, and many other negative emotions will arise. You'll have to deal with them, try to overcome them, and not let them control you, otherwise they'll have a toll on your health and on the disease outcome.
You may and should reason that many people get this disease, it is rapidly overcoming cardio vascular diseases as the number one serious health hazard. You should also reason that there are many available treatments for cancer and by no means cancer is a death sentence, because many people recover from cancer. This is not a comfort thought, it is the truth. But in spite of being a rightful assertment, this is far from enough to please you and calm you.
You'll still be worried that you can be one of those that will add up the negative statistics of cancer. And like me you'll have to find a way or ways to control your anxiety and fear, that try to emerge most of the time, relentlessly. It is not easy, there will be ups and downs.
First, what I did, and later what I could have done. As I was in average physical condition, I did long walks because I found it relaxing and kept me away of obsessive thoughts about my disease. I tried to improve my mood by looking at comedy movies from my dvd collection. Regularly I commit to myself that for a certain period of time, starting as low as just a few minutes, that I would not think about my health state, and during that time frame I pretended, kind like an actor, that things were "normal", and tried to act as such, making brilliant plans for the future, such as a trip I would like to do, something I would like to buy, a musical instrument I would like to learn how to play, etc. The objective was to keep the mind busy in a positive way, about anything but the cancer.
Another situation I had to deal with was the constant incoming calls from friends and relatives concerned about my health status. As I lived alone, I had no one else to filter those phone calls, that represented a lot of unproductive stress. I strongly encourage you to find someone to take care of those phone calls and gave those daily "health bulletins". I hope never fall into this trap again, it is really exhausting to deliver the same kind of information over and over again, three, four or five times a day.
I should also have practiced meditation and relaxation. Even for those people who have never tried or are not familiar with any meditation method, there is now a wide choice of cds, dvds, and multimedia equipment, that allow in a passive way to induce alpha and delta waves to flow in your brain. Your recovery starts by relaxing and let your body and mind do their job in getting you back to your full potential.
For those who have a spiritual belief, any kind of praying is positive, in terms of mental focus, and creating positive prospects for your health outcome. Unfortunately I do not share this type of belief, so I could not take advantage of this option.
An important part of your anti-cancer program should include two to three daily sessions of mental imagery. Under a very relaxed state try, for 10 to 15 minutes, with your eyes closed, to visualize your immune system cells searching and destroying cancer cells, visualizing yourself getting better every day, feeling more radiant and joyful, until the day you get your health fully recovered and your destiny is back in your hands. Imagine then what you would do under that healthy state, create your life goals, and visualize you daily working to fulfill them in detail and finally achieving them successfully. This will have a great impact on your disease, no matter what therapy you choose. You will be exercising the same power that a placebo pill actually exerts on a real patient. Mind has the power to cure you or to make true your worst nightmares. It's your choice.
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