Music, meditation or a good pillow fight - choose something that works for you.
It took a lot of insistence and persistence from me to
convince my doctors that something was really wrong. After 3 months
I was finally diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. I was so happy to
have a diagnosis that I overlooked how serious that diagnosis
was.
Hayley, Dunedin
Coping strategies are the attitudes and behaviours you use to
maintain emotional well-being and to adjust to the stresses caused
by cancer. Because everybody copes in different ways and some
methods of coping are more successful with some people than others,
it may take a while to figure out which strategy works best for
you.
We have come up with a list of coping strategies that have
helped other young people live with cancer. These strategies are
not going to fit everyone's needs but they may be possible ways to
help you adjust to life with cancer:
- Be an advocate by becoming knowledgeable of cancer, treatments,
and emotional and physical side effects.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions, even the brave questions
about the seriousness of the cancer and the pros and cons of
various treatments.
- Keep talking and expressing your emotions to allow an outlet
for your feelings of fear, anger, sadness, guilt and so on.
- Express your feelings at a time that is right for you and with
the right people.
- Find ways to help yourself and your loved ones relax and laugh
together.
- Set short-term and long-term goals for yourself.
- Remain hopeful that this is a temporary setback and stay
positive, while giving yourself and others freedom to give in to
other feelings sometimes.
- Keep listening to your favorite music and participating in
things you enjoy.
- Try to live life as you did prior to the diagnosis.
- Find ways to release your emotions for example exercise, arts
and crafts, hanging out with your friends, good pillow fights,
screaming and feeling good about it.
- Reach out and take advantage of the support that is available
to you and your loved ones.
- Participate more in decision-making so you can make choices and
have some control over your life and this current situation.
- Take comfort in believing that a personal and positive future
exists for you and your loved ones.
- Remember cancer affects the whole family and by working
together you can achieve so much more.
- Remember cancer is only part of your life -cancer does not
define you: there is a lot more to you, or your brother and sister,
than just cancer.