Considering and Managing Anxiety, Part II

Tips to Help During the Hard Times

There are a number of strategies that can help you manage feelings of anxiety without medication. Go back and read my previous blog to differentiate between normal anxiety and the kind that likely will be helped by meds. First, remind yourself that sometimes feeling worried or frightened is an appropriate response to a serious illness or another problem. As a little time passes, you almost certainly will feel better. Everyone describes the first weeks after diagnosis or of learning about a recurrence to be the most difficult, and then everyone finds ways to manage. Your life will go on.

Here are some tips to help during the hard times:

• Stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Even better, take several and pay attention to your breaths. Feel your body relax.
• Starting with your toes, mentally name your body parts and move upwards. With each stop, consciously relax.
• If you can’t concentrate, move the body. Get up and do something, anything. A short walk is best, but even moving around the room will help. This is sometimes called Walking Meditation. Some people find that a simple task like folding laundry or washing dishes can be soothing. Anything that uses your body but not your mind may help.
• Identify those times that are sure to be anxiety-provoking. For most people, that means beginning a new treatment or going for scans or appointments. Consider asking someone to accompany you and give her directions on what will help. Do you want her to bring snacks or sit quietly or rub your feet during chemo? Admitting that you are scared and asking for help is therapeutic in and of itself.
• Try to be specific about your fears. For example, if you are beginning chemotherapy, are you frightened about the needle stick or possible side effects or the drugs themselves? Once you know the trigger, you can usually find a solution or way to ease it. Make the worry smaller; try not to let it grow large and vague. Ask questions.
• Make a plan. If you are scared about the results of a scan, talk with your doctor about how and when you will hear them. Do not leave this to chance; you do not want to wonder whether the lack of a phone call is good or bad news. Decide if you want a phone call, no matter what the results, or if you want to wait for your next appointment. Be clear about your needs.
• Ask for help and ask specifically. Your family and friends want to be useful, and helping you feel less anxious is a wonderful goal. Most people feel much better when they talk about what is worrying them.
• Make sure to take good care of yourself. This means trying to eat a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, keeping up a mild to moderate exercise routine, and staying hydrated. Your mood will be better if you are physically feeling as well as possible, and it is reassuring to take control of the things that you can control.

Be gentle with yourself. If this is a bad day, have a treat or take a nap or just remind yourself that tomorrow will be better.