Need Tips to Manage Stress After a Cancer Diagnosis? These 5 Videos Can Help

It's always important to practice self-care, but it can feel hard to do when you’re facing the stress of a cancer diagnosis. How do you take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally when you are navigating this challenging time?

 

Part of self-care involves learning ways to handle stress and anxiety, which tend to go hand in hand with a cancer diagnosis. Whether you are a cancer patient or a caregiver, it is important to listen to your body and put yourself first when it comes to managing the stresses of a cancer journey.

People with cancer who have healthy stress management techniques often have better overall quality of life. Although applying such techniques can be easier said than done, we provide a variety of support resources that can help you learn what works best for you.

Here are 5 short videos about stress management, including tips from cancer patients and caregivers, to help you take control of your physical and emotional well-being:

 

1. Watch: How to Handle Stress (1 minute)

Abby, diagnosed with multiple myeloma, talks about handling stress. 

 

Key takeaways: Managing stress looks different for each person. Taking the time to find techniques that work best for you is key. Perhaps it’s immersing yourself in nature, reading a good book, or watching your favorite television show or movie. Whatever it may be, find something that can serve as an outlet away from the stress of your cancer journey.

 

2. Watch: Strategies for Managing Fear of Recurrence (1 minute)

Erin, a social worker, shares ways to manage anxiety and fears about a cancer recurrence.

 

Key takeaways: After completing cancer treatment, it is natural to worry about a recurrence. Talking about it in a support group or with a healthcare professional, and learning other practical ways to manage stress and emotions, can help ease some of that fear and anxiety.

 

Is a Support Group Right for You?

 

3. Watch: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (1 minute)

Janet, diagnosed with myelofibrosis, shares why letting go of life's little inconveniences helps her manage stress. 

 

Key takeaways: It may be beneficial to express the thoughts and emotions you have in your head out loud. Acknowledging even the little things and how they make you feel — and then letting go of those things — can be a great way to manage the stresses in your life.

 

4. Watch: Finding “Me” Time (2 minutes)

Sheri, a former caregiver to a friend with multiple myeloma, shares the value of finding time for yourself.

 

Key takeaways: If you are a caregiver, it is important to give yourself permission to do things that benefit your self-care and give you joy. It can be difficult to care for someone else to the best of your ability if you are not first caring for yourself.

 

5. Watch: How Mindfulness Can Help (1 minute)

Lloyd talks about how learning mindfulness techniques helped him reduce his stress and anxiety. 

 

Key takeaways: Mindfulness is a practice of noticing the present moment or a specific emotion for what it is. Learning mindfulness and meditation techniques can help balance the intense feelings that can come with a cancer diagnosis. 

 

 

 

Prioritizing emotional health and well-being during your cancer journey is important. We are here to support you as you explore stress management techniques that work best for you. 

Looking for more strategies?

• Discover active ways to manage stress from cancer
• Build a helping network among your family and friends
• Get tips to cope with feelings of loneliness, isolation, nervousness, and fear

 

Editor's Note: This blog was originally published in September 2021 and has been updated.