Responding to Cancer. An information session helping us to understand our response to cancer diagnosis, ongoing treatment etc.. Advice and tips for dealing with anxiety, stress and emotions for cancer patients, friends and family.

1. Responding to Cancer
Q&A for Thymic UK
Alistair Thompson, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Damian Aries, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
A Psychology Information Session

2. UNDERSTANDABLE RESPONSES TO CANCER

3. IS THERE ANYTHING HERE THAT JUMPS OUT AT YOU, OR
ANYTHING BIG THAT IS MISSING? SHOUT OUT OR MESSAGE
IN THE CHAT
Thoughts Bodily
sensations
Emotions
Behaviours/Way
s of Coping
Guilt
Fear
Anger
Sadness
Tense
muscles
Fatigue
Stomach churning
Pain
Sexual functioning
changes
Appetite changes
Worry and
think
Talk to
people
Keep busy
Eat
more/drink
alcohol
Avoid people
and shutdown
Lots of
research
‘I’m going to
die’
‘I’ve put my family
through too much’
‘I should stay
strong’
‘I’m not me
anymore’
‘I’m weak’
‘Other people
are coping
better’

4. WHY DO WE THINK, FEEL, AND TRY TO COPE
IN THESE WAYS?
This produces the fight
or flight response –
which was very good at
responding to certain
threats….
Cancer is a threatening
experience, and it
activates our automatic
threat system

5. …but not so well at
others.
The threat system has
trouble distinguishing
between current real
threats and imagined or
potential threats. And
compared to other
animals, we’re really good
Better-safe-than-sorry
thinking was helpful when
there was movement in a
bush, but can lead us to focus
on worst-case scenarios.
Criticising ourselves could
help push us to move faster
and run away, but it can lower
our self-esteem when we
don’t have as much control
over our outcome.

6. Pupils dilate
Dry mouth
Stomach churns
Heart beats
faster
Muscles tense
Bladder relaxes
Racing thoughts
Shallow
breathing
Sweaty palms
Cold hands
Light headiness /
dizziness
Adrenal glands release
adrenaline
The threat system
prepares our body to fight
or run away. The
symptoms this produces
can be frightening or
unpleasant, but aren’t
necessarily dangerous.
However, sometimes
these can be seen as
evidence for worrying
thoughts. Some of the ways we try to cope
make sense in the short term,
because they lower our worry or
anxiety. However, in the long term
it can lead to us bottling up our
emotions or losing contact with
people.

7. SO A LOT OF THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND WAYS
OF COPING MAKE PLENTY OF SENSE BECAUSE
OF THE BRAINS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN
While we can often experience these responses as
unhelpful or distressing, they’re very normal. What makes
us worried, angry or sad can also tell us what we value in
life.
‘What am I afraid of losing?’ can help us focus on what is
important to us. It might seem like a silly question, but it
can often lead to quite different answers depending on
who answers it.

8. “We are not just a body”
• Thoughts and emotions make us human – cancer and the
experience of cancer treatment is likely to impact upon both of these
as we try to make sense of the experience
• We all have roles which are important to us and other people that we
connect with – and cancer can also have an impact upon these roles
and relationships, as they might change during treatment
• Having cancer treatment can involve adjusting to a new ‘normal’ e.g.
new roles, appointments, side effects.
• Thoughts and emotions are therefore a normal part of a cancer
diagnosis

9. We ALL have a mental health
• Physical health is prioritised in our daily tasks but it is also important to look after our
mental health
• Some people will be more familiar/comfortable with this than others

10. WHAT CAN YOU DO THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL?

11. WATCH OUT FOR MESSAGES IN THE PUBLIC
AND THE MEDIA
REMEMBER YOU’RE
HUMAN - YOU’RE
ALLOWED TO FEEL
DISTRAUGHT OR SCARED
OR SUFFERING.
IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING,
THAT’S A REFLECTION OF
THE REALLY HARD
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
HAVE BEEN THRUST ON
YOU!
“I’m currently
undergoing weekly
chemotherapy
sessions and I am
FIGHTING AS HARD
AS I POSSIBLY
CAN”.
Nadine Coyle wrote on Instagram;
“I love you!!! YOU HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE
MIRACLES WHEN NEEDED!!”
Kimberley Walsh added:
“My heart is broken. YOU
ARE SO STRONG AND
BRAVE”
Steps star Ian H Watkins also
commented on her Instagram
post, writing: “ Sending huge
love, STAY STRONG”

12. TIPS TO TRY
• IT’S VERY NATURAL TO PUSH AWAY OR AVOID UNPLEASANT EMOTIONS, BUT THESE
EMOTIONS ARE NORMAL AND ARE TELLING YOU SOMETHING – TRY TO MAKE SPACE FOR
THEM
• REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOUR ALARM SYSTEM IS TRYING TO KEEP YOU SAFE, BUT IT
DOESN’T ALWAYS DO A PERFECT JOB – THE WORRIES IN YOUR HEAD AREN’T ABSOLUTE
TRUTHS
• FIND WAYS THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE EXPRESSING HOW YOU FEEL – WHETHER TALKING
WITH A TRUSTED FRIEND/FAMILY MEMBER, OR WRITING IN A JOURNAL
• TRY OUT NEW WAYS OF COPING – WHAT CALMS AND RELAXES YOU? THIS COULD BE AN
ACTIVITY, MUSIC, A HOT BATH, ANYTHING! EXPLORE WHAT SOOTHES YOU
• PAY ATTENTION TO THE WAY YOU TALK OR THINK ABOUT YOURSELF – IS THERE SPACE TO
BE MORE COMPASSIONATE? HOW WOULD YOU SPEAK TO A FRIEND GOING THROUGH
SIMILAR PROBLEMS?
• ARE YOU FOCUSED ON ONE POSSIBILITY OR WAY OF LOOKING AT YOUR EXPERIENCES?
WHAT OTHER PERSPECTIVES COULD YOU TRY ON? IS THERE A MORE HELPFUL PERSPECTIVE?
• IF YOU’RE FOCUSED ON WORRYING THOUGHTS, PRACTICE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE
PRESENT MOMENT. CHECK IN WITH ALL FIVE SENSES THROUGHOUT THE DAY

13. 2 HELPFUL QUESTIONS
‘WHAT’S ONE THING I CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO MAKE MYSELF MORE
COMFORTABLE?’
AND
‘WHAT’S ONE THING I CAN DO THAT MATTERS TO ME?’

14. Further support options
• Yourself
• Your network of people – family, friends, work, church, neighbours, local community
• Your Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and care team
• Follow up Dimbleby group – ‘Five a day for our mental health’
• Psycho-Oncology Support Team (POST) – part of Dimbleby Cancer Care – Tel. 020 7188 5918
• Other support from Dimbleby Cancer care: Complementary Therapy, Cancer Information Nurse Specialists, Benefits Advice
• Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) – https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-psychological-therapies-service
• Other cancer organisations:
• Maggie’s Centres: www.maggies.org
• Paul’s Cancer Support: Support@paulscancersupport.org.uk, Tel. 020 7924 3924
• South East Cancer Help Centre: www.sechc.org.uk, Tel. 020 8668 0974

15. Q+A
WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR US ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY AND MENTAL
HEALTH?

16. SAFE/PEACEFUL SPACE IMAGERY
TRY TO FIND A COMFORTABLE POSITION IN YOUR CHAIR OR SEAT.
TAKING DEEP BREATHS IN, AND THEN OUT.
IF YOU’RE OKAY WITH THIS, CLOSE YOUR EYES OR GAZE DOWN.