Hearing about anything that will potentially complicate your life in some way can be upsetting, especially if it is a short-term or long-term health condition that you are recently diagnosed with.
A recent study on medicalxpress.com states that there is a link between breast cancer and depression. This demonstrates how devastating a health diagnosis truly can be, to the point where depression develops after diagnosis. This can depend in part on other factors like income level, age, children and marital status.
Although this study focused on breast cancer, other health conditions can lead to mental health issues after diagnosis as well. Fortunately, health experts and people who have suffered themselves have some advice on how to cope with a recent health diagnosis. Hopefully, you can avoid additional mental health issues or at least handle any mental health issues that do come along.
Laurie Elmore Thompson, the author of “Laurie's Story: Discovering Joy in Adversity” and a partial paraplegic, suggested through email that preparation can help you deal with being diagnosed in the future with a health condition.
“Recognize that it is very likely that you will be faced with some sort of health diagnosis which has the potential to be devastating in your lifetime,” Thompson said. “Mental preparation for this reality can be half the battle.”
You have to accept your limits with any health condition once you are diagnosed, but it’s important to still make goals for yourself.
“Set goals for yourself and maintain the mindset that you will do the best you can to achieve at least one goal each day,” Thompson said. “Some days will be much more difficult than others, but do your best to find joy or satisfaction in one small thing each day - that may be completing a task or something as simple as taking a moment to watch a flock of geese land on a lake.”
Faina Sechzer, the CEO of Health And Life Recovery Strategies, a health recovery coach and a cancer survivor, said in an email that she works with her clients on how to cope with recent diagnoses mainly through reshaping their thoughts through a specific method developed by experts.
“I refer to it as ABC method because it so easy and because it deals with three components: thoughts (A), Feelings (B) and Actions/Behavior (C),” Sechzer said. “Unlike other self help ideas, this method teaches how to cope with absolutely anything at any time in a person's unique life situations, including serious illness.”
“The method is based on the premise that our thoughts (A) are the reason for our feelings (B). Our feelings are the reason for our actions (C),” she said. “If we reprogram our thoughts we can reprogram our feelings and therefore reprogram our behavior.”
Sechzer also said to follow these steps “to learn and apply” the method:
1) “Learn to ‘hear’ you thoughts”
2) “Check if the thoughts are healthy or unhealthy (5 easy questions to ask)”
3) “Convert unhealthy thoughts to healthy ones (not the same as ‘positive’ ones)”
4) “Apply in your life”
Bethany Gonzalez Moreno, said in an email that she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, a type of cancer, when she was 15. Moreno said that she lost her hair and had to go through treatments for four months, but at age 27 has currently been in remission for over 10 years.
She said she got through her difficult health diagnosis by journaling about her life, among other methods.
“I made several positive quote posters with different colored markers and pencils,” Moreno said. “Every morning, I'd wake up and look at them and internalize what they meant. It put me in a good mood for the entire day.”
She is now more health-conscious and is trying to do what she can to prevent the cancer from coming back, such as having a more plant-based diet and buying “green" products.
“Doing that research and acting on what I learn gives me some control back so I don't have to feel like ‘everything causes cancer’ and I can do what is possible to try and prevent myself from developing cancer again,” Moreno said. “Doing something proactive like that keeps me from getting depressed or anxious and worried about having to go through it again. I can do my best to be healthy and I don't have to feel like I'm a ‘victim’ of cancer.”
Sheela Raja, an assistant professor and clinical psychologist at the Unversity of Illinois at Chicago, said in an email that she encourages patients to keep some type of routine, even if it isn’t exactly the same as before the diagnosis.
“This gives you a sense of feeling normal and connected to every day life,” Raja said.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help from others and to turn to others for support during this difficult time, she said.
Remember to stay as healthy as possible by maintaining a nutritious diet and having a regular workout routine, whether you've been diagnosed with a health condition or not. Taking care of yourself through diet and exercise can only help you cope better and improve your mood.
What are your coping tips?
Sources:
Medicalxpress.com. Studies link depression, breast cancer outcomes. Web. Nov. 8, 2011.
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-link-depression-breast-cancer-outcomes.html
Thompson, Laurie. Email interview. Nov. 8, 2011.
Sechzer, Faina. Email interview. Nov. 8, 2011.
Moreno, Bethany Gonzalez. Email interview. Nov. 8, 2011.
Raja, Sheela. Email interview. Nov. 8, 2011.
Reviewed November 9, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith