The diagnosis of cancer is emotionally overwhelming. For many people, when they hear the doctor say the words “…you have cancer”, they can’t believe “it” is happening to them. Many of my patients stated that the shock of diagnosis initially caused them to emotionally shut down and that they began to function on a sort of “autopilot”. They explained that, at first, they felt nothing, as if they could hear the words but not “feel” them. After a relatively short period of time, a few days or so of ‘processing’ their diagnosis, they described feeling a myriad of emotions including sadness, helplessness, anxiety, anger, stress, and (of course) fear. These patients explained that as they processed their diagnosis, it made them feel more and more like things were ‘out of their control’. One patient in particular described the experience as follows: “It is the ‘unknown’ that surrounds cancer that causes the fear and distress… what does the diagnosis mean, and how will it affect me, my family, our future?”I have found that, at this point, it is important for patients to regain a sense of control by challenging the unknown. The best way to do this is through accumulation of knowledge. It is vital, however, to understand two important things about information gathering. The first is that, regardless of the anxiety it may provoke, it is imperative to be well informed about all of the details of your cancer in order to avoid basic “unknowns”, the misinterpretations of which can lead to even greater feelings of fear and anxiety. Increasing your knowledge will lead to a greater sense of understanding, control, and confidence in your ability to adapt to and manage the diagnosis and treatment of the cancer. Secondly, it is important to develop an overall picture of what you need to know and to fill out that picture systematically so that you’re not provoking any more anxiety than is necessary. This can help you to assimilate an incredible amount of information, step by step, without experiencing the feeling of being lost in the ‘forest’.
Everyone has different needs regarding the amount of information they require. Remember, you are the expert of you. Work with your health care providers to help you determine what you need to know. Let them know what is important to you, so that they can guide you in collecting information.
Ask a lot of questions. There is no such thing as a dumb question. And always feel free to get second or third opinions.
Did you get all of the information you needed, when you needed it? Did you have some kind of process for collecting and maintaining it? Did you have any difficulty getting the answers you needed? Where did you get your information? Did you get too much information?
Let’s talk.
Posted by Andrew
