Scanxiety is real. Here are five ways to calm it.
Have you heard the term “scanxiety”? It’s when cancer patients or survivors feel worried or anxious about an upcoming cancer scan or test, and the follow-up appointment to get the results.
If you’re a cancer survivor like me, you have no doubt been through this. No matter what type of cancer you’ve had, or what kinds of treatments, most of us have had scans and tests, before, during and after treatment or chemo.
The waiting and wondering of scanxiety can be debilitating
Maybe you can relate to what I used to experience? I notice my stomach is tight, my appetite almost nonexistent, I’m not very talkative, I feel distant, sometimes irritable, but always, in the back of my mind, wondering and worrying.
I’ve had my fair share of scanxiety. In fact, I’m experiencing a little bit of it right now… but just a bit. Much less than I used to.
Will they find something? They have before….
I’m having a CT scan tomorrow…
…and then I have to wait several days to get the results from my doctor.
Although I’ve “graduated” from scans every three months to now every six months (yaay for the small – and not so small – victories!), I still have them regularly.
And it gets tiring. BUT, I have so much less anxiety and worry now than ever before. Why?
Over time, I’ve learned how to identify the things on my mind and to separate out what’s in my control and what’s not. And then get into action.
Five things I do that help me go from scanxiety to scancalmity (from worried to calm)
(yes, I just make up the word “scancalmity”)
1. Pray. I put my trust in God, and so I pray. I ask others to pray, too.
If you’re not so inclined, seek out solace with a higher power or the universe, or whatever speaks to you and gives you peace. If you know people who pray, ask them to pray for whatever is troubling you most.
Meditate, do EFT or other mind/body techniques if that helps you.
2. Keep my mind and/or body busy. I do things I enjoy doing so I’m not thinking the worst. Asking family or friends to spend time with me also helps.
Your activities can be:
- Physical: a bike ride or walk, hiking, a yoga or fitness class, dancing
- Creative: painting, decorating, knitting, making or listening to music
- Entertaining: going to a movie or a play. Ask family or friends to spend time with you.
3. Take control of my health. This is one area that has helped me so much, when I wasn’t even necessarily expecting it to.
By taking care of not just my body, but my whole self – mind, emotions, spirit – I realized I was doing everything within my power to keep cancer recurrence at bay. And this gives me tremendous peace of mind.
Here’s what that looks like for me:
- By removing toxic chemicals from my cosmetics, skincare, and household cleaning products, I know I’m reducing my exposure to harmful chemicals that could trigger cancer growth.
- By eating whole, unprocessed foods, and loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables, I know I’m creating an environment in my body where cancer is less likely to grow and flourish.
- By getting regular exercise, I feel more confident that I’m giving my body what it needs to be strong and resilient.
- By nurturing relationships, I feel more peaceful knowing I have someone to turn to when I need to talk, and have something to look forward to when I need to laugh. This helps reduce the stress I’m experiencing.
4. Journaling. When I start writing (I do it old-school style with pen and paper), I get the worrying thoughts and emotions out. You can start with journal prompts, or just start writing and see where it takes you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you can release.
5. Leave the rest up to God. I don’t know about you, but when I found out I had cancer, I started looking at life differently. I didn’t want to waste time on things that weren’t important.
I started thinking more about my purpose here on Earth, the people around me who are important to me, the legacy I would leave someday, and how I was impacting (positively or negatively) those around me.
The truth is, I can’t – and no human can – control their outcome here on Earth. So I do everything within my control that I can do, and I leave the rest.
This frees up immense amounts of energy – in my brain, my body, my spirit – to focus on the things that matter.
Which brings me back to the tiny little bit of scanxiety about tomorrow
Yes, I will rest better after I meet with my doctor. But, I am OK where I am now. In fact, I’m better than OK. I’m doing everything I can to stay healthy. I call that THRIVING!
I’ll report back next week. In the meantime, take care of yourself and each other.
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