“Every three to four months I get a wake-up call that my life has taken an unexpected turn. Believe me, there are daily reminders of how different I am now; but scan time is big time scary time, mentally. It takes living with cancer to yet another level of heighten sense of mortality and anxiety. So MANY thoughts and what ifs course through my brain. SO hard to shut it off.” – Katie Edick, METASTATIC AND MAKARIOS.
One of the hardest parts about cancer is the waiting. Waiting for results. Waiting for answers. Waiting to know if you’re in remission or the fight is still raging on.
Going through cancer treatment is like being on a giant emotional roulette wheel that spins you around for a few days and then shoots you out the other side. Land on red, you’re in for another trip to Cancerland; land on black, you have three more months of freedom until your next scan. Couple that with my tendency to pass out from needles/ stress and you have a recipe for some serious scanxiety. Fortunately, my life-long battle with anxiety has taught me some good ways of coping with such gut-wrenching uncertainty.
Here are 6 ways to cope with scanxiety:
1. Sometimes, the unknown is the greatest cause of our anxiety. Cancer treatment brings a new level of uncertainty to your life. If you are unclear about anything from what to expect during the scan, to when and how you can expect to receive your results, or what those results might mean, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor. I’ve found having a clear understanding of what you may or may notexperience allows you to be better prepared and often helps calm your mind.
2. Distraction is often the best antidote for anxiety. Before my scan, I make sure to watch some funny videos or clips of my favorite movies. I also listen to music while waiting for my appointment to help relax my mind and shift my mindset. After my scan, I do my best to stay active and preoccupy myself with work, or exercise or household projects. Yoga and walking meditations are some of my favorite ways to stay active when I’m not able to do more strenuous exercise like running.
3. Focus on your breathing. During my test, I keep my eyes closed the whole time and focus on my breathing. Fast, shallow breathing increases anxiety. I make sure to take a big deep breath and hold it, then slowly breathe all of the air out of my lungs. Once I get that breathing down I add a mantra. A powerful mantra I love to use is “I am (breath in, pause, long exhale) my breath”. This helps me quiet my anxious thoughts and stay more present.
4. Remind yourself this is only temporary. Worrying can be a great distraction but it really never solves anything. Worrying my cancer will return or that it has returned robs me of precious moments. Moments where I’m still very much in remission...so why waste that time worrying about something that may or may not be true? Worrisome thoughts will arise but I do my best not to entertain them for long. Instead I try to shift my focus to the things I can control each day and make those my priorities. I remind myself to be grateful I’ve reached remission, no matter how long it lasts.
5. Prepare for the worst but visualize the best possible outcome. Scanxiety often feels like a rollercoaster of hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Creating a strategy for the worst-case scenario can give you a better sense of control. Cancer often makes you feel powerless, but creating a basic action plan just in case can help you regain your power as well as help you maintain a more optimistic and resilient attitude.
6. Your mind is more powerful than you realize. Visualization and guided imagery have been shown to improve your mood, control symptoms or side effects and even boost your immune system. Imagine yourself receiving great news after your scan. Allow yourself to experience the feelings of relief, gratitude and elation. Think about these things as though you are remembering them. Seeing it in your mind’s eye can give you the reassurance you need to overcome your scanxiety.
Remember, while we can’t control what is happening to us in life, we are always in control of how we respond to what’s happening.
