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Aug 21, 2024 · Finding out you have a incurable disease or serious illness, such as cancer or heart disease, can turn your world upside down. These tips can help you cope.
- Loving her. I’m lucky I married someone I came to deeply love. There are so many things about her I find lovable: We have a perspective on life that is different from most people’s: We’re so in sync about politics, the generations’ culture, music, literature, and movies.
- Acceptance of the situation. As the Stoics urge, I accept rather than rebel against reality. That helps me deal with it rather than give myself a hard time.
- Looking forward. I don’t allow myself to dwell on the past, like “This is what Janice used to be able to do and now can’t." Rather, I think of each day as a baseline and about how we can move forward from here.
- Daily writing: 3-minute exercises. Per Albert Ellis’s Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy, you identify the thinking that’s dragging you down: “I must solve this.
Read advice about ways to cope with being told that you have a terminal illness that you will most likely die from.
- Get The Facts About Your Health Condition.
- Express Your Feelings.
- Set Up A Support Network.
- Focus on Healthy Habits.
- Set Realistic Goals.
- Concentrate on What Brings You Meaning and Purpose.
- Focus on Your Abilities, Not Limitations.
- Use Various Coping Strategies.
Your health care team can provide or recommend reputable resources that will explain your diagnosis and treatment options. Knowledge is power, and understanding the facts will help you have two-way conversations with your health care team about your care. Write down questions and concerns for your health care team, and bring your list to each appoi...
Denial, fear, anxiety and anger are normal emotions when presented with bad news. Give yourself time to process these emotions. Share your feelings with family members and friends, or consider seeking professional help. You also can try writing down your thoughts in a journal.
Often friends and family are happy to prepare meals, provide transportation or help with household chores. Accepting help allows those who care about you to contribute during a difficult time. It also lowers the burden and stress on caregivers and other family members. Your support network also could include others who have the same diagnosis. It c...
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve your energy level. Choose a healthy diet consisting of a variety of foods and get adequate rest to help you manage stress and fatigue. Exercise and participating in enjoyable activities also may help. Talk with your health care team about the best exercise options for you.
Expecting too much of yourself can lead to frustration and feelings of failure. Decide whether you can accomplish the tasks and activities you plan to include in your day. Learn to say no to things when you have no time or energy.
Many people have found that receiving a serious health diagnosis helped bring into focus the people and things that are most important in their lives. Find time for the people and activities that are personally rewarding and meaningful. Stay connected, or reconnect, with family and friends, especially those who have a positive, optimistic outlook o...
Try not to compare your situation with the way things used to be. This can produce "all-or-nothing thinking" — the idea that if you cannot do something exactly as before you can no longer do it at all. Modify or change your activities instead. For example, you may not be able to play 18 holes of golf any longer, but you could still enjoy nine holes...
What comforted you through rough times before your diagnosis is likely to ease your worries now, whether that's a close friend, religious leader or a favorite activity that recharges you.
- Take care of yourself. Start by making self-care a priority, Wilson says. Get enough sleep, eat healthy foods and get some exercise. “When a loved one is going through an illness and there’s an increase in stress, then taking care of yourself is really hard to do,” she says.
- Get away for breaks. Whether your loved one is in the hospital or receiving care at home, give yourself permission to take breaks. “It’s not only OK, it’s healthy,” Wilson says.
- Identify your support network. You don’t have to do it all alone, Wilson says. Remember, you are going through your own shock and grief. “Everybody deserves the opportunity not to be the strong one all the time,” she says.
- Ask for help. At first, the diagnosis may be all you can focus on. But there are responsibilities that must be tended to—pets to care for, trash to roll to the curb, bills to pay, grass to cut and leaves to rake.
Going through health issues, whether it’s a heart attack, surgery, or a diagnosis of a long-term condition, is never easy. If you’re a family member or friend, here’s some suggestions for ways you might be able to help.
try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over. avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from viruses, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test.
