Anxiety

[user97867600]

I was diagnosed with cancer during the start of the pandemic, it was a really anxious time as my treatment was delayed due to Covid and I was constantly worrying that the cancer was spreading. It was a tough time with little support.

Two years and a half years later and i can't stop thinking something bad is going to happen. I never use to feel like this and now its as if I have trained my brain to think the worse situation possible so that if anything bad does happen I am prepared for it.

I feel so annoyed with myself for still feeling like this such a long time after my diagnosis.

I hope you have been able to get some treatment for your condition. It is not at all unreasonable to feel like this; many people are feeling anxious because of Covid and lockdown without having had a diagnosis like yours. Try to find something you enjoy to calm yourself -- yoga, music, craft...

@CactusBlossom

No I haven’t had any treatment I think I just thought with time things would get better.

Please make an appointment to follow up on the diagnosis, which will either start you on treatment or set your mind at rest... Even if it is just a telephone or video call appointment to start with.

Don't be annoyed with yourself. It's completely understandable that you're anxious. Talking therapy really helps with anxiety.

Do Gp's recommenced talking therapy before medication? I would prefer medication i think that would be a quicker solution.

In my experience a combined approach works best. I took medication and did counselling. Waiting lists for counselling are beyond a joke so best to either pay privately if you can afford it, or find a charity and put your name down on the waiting list (that's what I did). I tried a few meds before I found the one that worked best for me. It's trial and error. Your GP won't have a problem prescribing you something. They often prescribed antidepressants as they work well for anxiety.

I'm doing both. I agree the meds are the most effective but it is still work seeking counselling to help manage your anxious thoughts. For me, the meds help stop those thoughts turning into panic, with the physical responses (eg stomach churning, shaking etc), which is bliss. But I still need help to just generally practise strategies to manage stressful situations.

Do you have a local cancer support centre where you can either get specialist counselling or a moving on course alongside meds from your gp? I had counselling at my cancer centre and it helped. They also had lots of nice treatments for a bit of relaxation.

I totally understand though. I had breast cancer in 2018 and I have health anxiety too. It is getting easier and I am not so anxious but occasionally get the feeling of doom come over me as I am dropping off to sleep still.

I look at my friends and envy their freedom from cancer thoughts/worries. Don't think I will ever feel that free again.

Good luck.