Taking Care of Your Mental Health When You Have Cancer

Cancer – as well as cancer treatment – can cause a range of negative emotions. All aspects of your life can be affected, and that includes your mental health. But taking care of your mental health during this time is crucial. It will help you cope with those negative emotions and improve your overall quality of life. There’s also evidence that taking care of your mental health can even lead to better treatment outcomes.

Here are some strategies you can use to help reduce stress, anxiety, or depression:

1. Get professional support: Therapy with a psychologist, counselor, social worker, or psychiatrist can give you a safe space to work through your emotions and challenges with professional help. Your doctor may also have a recommendation for a mental health professional that specializes in cancer care.
2. Join support groups: Connecting with others who are going through similar experiences can provide comfort, encouragement, and practical advice. You can share details of your experience, ask questions, and offer unique knowledge and insights. BMC offers in-person and virtual support groups open to all cancer patients and survivors.
3. Talk to your loved ones: Share your feelings and concerns with family, friends, or another trusted person. This can help make you feel less alone and help others understand what you’re going through.  
4. Practice relaxation techniques: When you’re feeling stressed or anxiety, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and other relaxation techniques can help. BMC runs a series of classes to help you learn some of these techniques. We also offer acupuncture, which can help with both cancer/treatment symptoms and stress relief.
5. Stay active: If your care team says it’s okay and you feel up for it, gentle physical activity can help both your physical and mental wellbeing. You can try yoga, walking, Tai Chi, or anything else that interests you. If you need help getting started, check out one of BMC’s activity classes.
6. Stick to a routine: Having a daily routine can help your life feel more normal as you’re undergoing treatment. This can improve your mental health by making you feel less stressed and more in control.  
7. Focus on nutrition: You probably know that eating a healthy diet can help your physical health, but did you know it can help your mental health too? The food you eat can affect your energy levels and overall mood. Ask your doctor if you’re interested in meeting with a nutritionist who specializes in nutrition for people with cancer and can help you find the right eating plan for you. BMC also offers cooking classes tailored to people with cancer.
8. Set realistic goals: You can’t do everything at once under the best of circumstances, and it’s even harder when you have cancer. Break down any tasks you have to do into manageable steps. Set achievable goals and then celebrate small victories. This will help you build confidence and keep yourself motivated.  
9. Limit things that stress you out: It’s important to know what causes you stress and try to minimize those sources whenever possible. You may need to ask other people to help you with certain tasks or say no to things more often. This can be hard, but it’s worth it for your health and wellbeing.
10. Do activities you enjoy: Find activities or hobbies that bring you joy or a sense of accomplishment. You may need to adapt them to your current energy levels, but it will still be time well spent. If you’re looking for ideas of things you can do with others, BMC offers social programs and classes like knitting and yoga for people with cancer.
11. Educate yourself: Feeling like things in your life are outside your control can be difficult for your mental health. Take the time to understand your cancer and treatment plan and ask your care team any questions you have. This will help you feel more in control and like you have more certainty.
12. Get enough sleep: Being tired can make you anxious, angry, and stressed. So, making sure you get as much sleep as you need will help give you the energy you need to fight your cancer, as well as improve your mental health.

If you're having intense feelings of depression, anxiety, or hopelessness, it's essential to get help immediately. Mental health is as important as physical health, and support is available.