When you have been diagnosed with cancer, it is natural to worry about what will happen. Sometimes the worry can be very intense, and more like fear or anxiety. Fear and anxiety are normal reactions to stressful situations, such as those caused by cancer or its treatment, and can be very uncomfortable.
The fear and anxiety aroused by cancer may be present all of the time or may come and go. Sometimes the feelings can be very intense and difficult to cope with. You may find that you can't concentrate, are irritable and easily distracted, sleep badly and get tired easily.
Fear and anxiety can also cause physical effects on the body including:
- Overbreathing (hyperventilating)
- Shaking
- Tense muscles
- Breathlessness
- Palpitations (a sensation of your heart beating too fast)
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- A dry mouth
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Diarrhoea
- Chest pain
- A lump in the throat
- Pins and needles
- Flushing (redness) of the skin, or looking unnaturally pale.
There are various ways of dealing with anxiety and fear. Some of our suggestions in the self-help section may reduce these feelings. Talking to a trained counsellor or therapist may also be helpful.
If you are very anxious, you may have a panic attack, where the fear and anxiety is almost overwhelming and you may feel very breathless, and have a pounding heart, sweating and shaking. This can be very frightening, and some people even worry that they will die during a panic attack.
If you are starting to feel that your anxiety or worry is getting worse, and stopping you from being able to carry on normally in your life, it is helpful to get help from your GP or a counsellor or psychologist. They can help you to look at the reasons for the fear and find ways of coping with it.