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When cancer treatment finishes, you may experience a mix of feelings and emotions. You may experience relief that treatment is over and that you can get back to life as it was before but many people find that life is not the same as it was before. It can take longer than you expect to recover after treatment both physically and mentally and it’s not unusual to feel anxious about the future.
You may find that your family, friends and work colleagues will assume that you will be back to normal after treatment finishes but for many people adjusting to “normal” life can take time and may never be the same as it was before.
You have been through a life-altering experience, your confidence may be affected, you may have worries about the cancer coming back and concerns about how and when you are going to return to work or study.
For most people normal life will resume but for many their perspective on life, work and relationships may change significantly.
How to manage your feelings when treatment ends
- Talk to friends and family – let them know how you are feeling
- Seek counselling if feeling over-anxious or have low self-esteem
- Find support groups where you can talk to others going through the same experiences
- Improve your wellbeing through diet and exercise – making healthier lifestyle choices and introducing exercise can aid your recovery as well as reduce stress and anxiety
- Practise mindfulness and relaxation
- Plan for the future – having things to look forward to and achieve can help you manage anxiety about the future Improve your wellbeing through diet and exercise
Positive lifestyle choices
Eating healthier, doing regular exercise, improving your mental wellbeing and living a healthy lifestyle can not only help with your recovery from cancer treatment but may also reduce the chances of late effects of cancer treatment from developing. Focussing on a healthier lifestyle can also help to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression.
Regular activity including walking, swimming or cycling can improve energy levels, reduce symptoms of fatigue and minimise feelings of anxiety. Other activities including meditation, mindfulness, yoga, massage and other relaxation techniques can also help reduce stress.
Having a purpose
Following treatment some people reassess what is important to them and set new priorities. It’s important for many people to have a purpose, to feel that they are making a contribution and to feel valued. You may decide to return to work, work reduced hours, change jobs or indeed give up work or retire due to ill health whatever the choice will depend on your situation. Everyone is different and it is normal to have mixed feelings about working after treatment.
If you do decide to return to work then it is advisable to agree a flexible return-to-work plan with your employer. Whether it’s a phased return or whether you require adjustments to your work duties or hours because of treatment side-effects then by law your employer must consider your requests.
Our Specialist Health and Work Service can provide advice and support to anyone returning to work or thinking of retiring.
Volunteering
While going through treatment some people may have lost confidence in their abilities or feel that they are lacking skills and other people even if they are unable to return to work still feel the need to do something. That’s where volunteering can help. It can offer a renewed sense of purpose, it can make you feel better that you are giving back, it can provide a routine, improve skills and help you make new friends. Many organisations and charities offer volunteer opportunities.
Beatson Cancer Charity has a host of volunteering opportunities ranging from ward volunteering to working in the Beatson Café, helping at fundraising events or welcoming patients into the Wellbeing Centre.
Find out more about volunteering with Beatson Cancer Charity.
Fundraising
People who have gone through treatment often feel that they want to give back and find that fundraising for a charity whether its hosting a coffee morning or taking on a mountaineering challenge gives them something to focus on and can often help with the mental and physical recovery following cancer treatment.
Find out more about fundraising for Beatson Cancer Charity.
