Managing Anxiety During Cancer Treatment
A cancer diagnosis inevitably brings with it uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Whether you're newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or in remission, it's normal to feel overwhelmed at times.
Anxiety during cancer treatment can take many forms—worry about the future, fear of recurrence, or anxiety and worry about medical procedures. But there are effective ways to reduce these feelings both in the short term and longer-term through therapy.
As Clinical Psychologists, we use evidence-based approaches to help individuals navigate this difficult journey. Here, we explore practical coping strategies and therapeutic approaches that can support you through cancer treatment and beyond.
Understanding Anxiety During Cancer Treatment
Cancer doesn't just affect the body; it impacts the mind and our emotions too. Anxiety can arise from the uncertainty of a diagnosis, side effects of treatment, or concerns about the future. This anxiety is a natural response to a life-changing experience, but it doesn't have to take over your life. Managing anxiety involves understanding it, finding immediate ways to cope, and working on longer-term emotional resilience.
Short-Term Coping Strategies
Acknowledging the extra burden and asking for help: Cancer treatment can bring significant changes to daily life, impacting routines and creating new challenges. Balancing appointments, managing side effects, and coping with emotional shifts can feel overwhelming. Setting realistic expectations and creating flexible routines can help maintain a sense of normality. Consider delegating tasks or accepting help from loved ones to ease the burden.
Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques: Mindfulness involves staying present and fully engaged in the moment, which can be especially helpful when anxiety spirals out of control. Grounding techniques like focusing on your breath, feeling your feet on the floor, or noticing the sensations around you can help bring you back to the present moment.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Techniques: Anxiety often comes from struggling against difficult emotions. ACT encourages accepting these emotions rather than fighting them. For example, if you're anxious about treatment outcomes, notice the feeling without judgment. Label it (“I’m feeling worried”) and remind yourself that it’s okay to feel this way. ACT also emphasises living in line with your values. Even during treatment, you can make choices that reflect who you are and what matters to you, whether that’s maintaining family traditions, staying connected with friends, or pursuing creative hobbies.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): Cancer can bring feelings of self-criticism, especially when struggling with fatigue or treatment side effects. CFT helps build self-compassion, recognising that it’s okay to be kind to yourself during difficult times.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is highly effective in managing anxiety by helping you identify and challenge negative thought patterns. By practicing cognitive restructuring, we can support you can break the cycle of anxious thoughts and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Schema Therapy: Cancer can trigger deep-rooted emotional patterns or “schemas” linked to vulnerability or abandonment. Schema Therapy helps you identify these patterns and develop healthier emotional responses. This approach is particularly helpful in managing long-term anxiety and emotional responses.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing): If you’ve experienced traumatic medical procedures or distressing news, EMDR can help process and reduce the emotional intensity of these memories. By using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements), EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic events, reducing their emotional impact. This approach is especially useful for those who find that certain reminders or triggers (like hospital visits) bring intense anxiety or panic.
Managing Long-term Emotional Impact
We understand that the emotional impact of cancer doesn’t end when treatment does. Long-term psychological support can be beneficial for adjusting to life after cancer. Approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help individuals navigate ongoing uncertainty, while Schema Therapy addresses deeper emotional patterns related to self-identity and safety. EMDR can also be effective for processing traumatic memories associated with diagnosis or treatment experiences.
Seeking Support and Moving Forward
We understand the complexities of anxiety during cancer treatment. Our team of Clinical Psychologists is here to support you with compassion, evidence-based approaches, and personalised care. If you want to explore how therapy can help you at this time, reach out to us for a chat.
