Post-Diagnosis: Tips for Coping

Learning that you have cancer is a life-changing moment that can have a major impact on how you view your health, your life, and your future. These overwhelming feelings can make it more difficult to live your life to the fullest and navigate your diagnosis. To help you deal with this new development, here are tips for coping post-diagnosis that will make working through your emotions and getting through your day-to-day life easier

Craft a plan for moving forward.

Arguably the most stressful aspect of having cancer can be figuring out what to do from there. Making sure that you take the time to sit down and create a plan can help you better cope with the physical aspects of your cancer diagnosis. Some actions to consider when you are creating this plan include:

• Learn more about the type of cancer you have, what your treatment plan will include, and what the chances of recovery will be. While learning more about your cancer can be scary, it will help you better understand just how serious the situation is and what you can do about it. Make sure you ask your doctor all of these necessary questions as soon as possible.

• Plan ahead financially to pay for your treatment. Cancer care is expensive. While your insurance may cover some of the costs, you may have to pay out-of-pocket for some of your expenses or seek out the help of federal programs and non-profits who are willing to help you pay for necessary healthcare and living costs. If you find that you are in need of money, you should also consider turning to resources like a viatical settlement broker that will give you one lump sum payment in return for your life insurance. If you don’t need your life insurance policy and find that you have a terminal illness, your life insurance policy can be sold for a fair amount of cash. For those who need access to quick cash, this can be an invaluable resource to help you afford cancer-related costs.

• Taking care of any end-of-life needs (if applicable). For those with a diagnosis that may not be curable, make sure you manage things like your will and estate now rather than later. Although it can be difficult to think about, it may become harder to do so once your symptoms have progressed.

The more comprehensive your plan, the better you can rest knowing that you have taken care of things ahead of time.

Find things that bring you comfort during this difficult time.

Knowing what provides you with comfort and support is vital to navigating treatment. For some, this may come in the form of their friends and family. If you are dealing with serious mental health issues as a result of your diagnosis, you can also further build your support network by reaching out to a mental health professional who can help you learn how to cope with your emotions. This way, you have friends and family who comfort you and a professional who can help you build your mental resilience and work through difficult emotions you may experience during this time.

Of course, comfort may come in other forms as well. One area where people often find comfort is in their faith. If this is something of interest to you, you could always take a look at your local church bulletin to learn more about Sunday service hours and how you can become more involved in the community. No matter what provides you with the comfort you need, find it, and incorporate more of it into your life.

3. Live your life to the fullest.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is something that many have been able to frame in a positive way. Even in the gravest of situations, those faced with cancer have found gratitude in their daily lives and the ability to do what they can. Those who do have treatable cancer often feel grateful and more aware of their health and the way they want to lead their lives moving forward. Living your life to the fullest and maintaining an attitude of gratitude can greatly impact how you cope with your diagnosis now and in the future.

Cancer can be scary, but there are ways to cope with this new reality. If you have found yourself diagnosed with cancer, use the tips above to begin dealing with the emotions brought on by your diagnosis.