Many people think of anger as a negative emotion, but that's not the case. The reality is that most cancer patients feel anger at times: At diagnosis, when treatment is delayed and even after treatment finishes. Anger can actually be a helpful and motivating emotion if channeled properly. Anger is a very normal and healthy emotion in life as well as when you or a loved one has mesothelioma. Actively engaging with the feeling and finding healthy ways to express it is key to good anger management.

1. Minimizing Anger’s Impact
When You Have
Mesothelioma
Today’s Moderator:
Dana Nolan, MS LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor

2. Anger Has an Image Problem
Most people characterize anger as a
negative and unwanted emotion.
Long ago, it was believed that anger (and
other unpleasant emotions) could lead to
the development of cancer. This belief has
been disproven in research, but many people
still think that being angry is detrimental to
cancer patients….NOT TRUE!!!
(877) 626-5916

3. Incidence of Anger
The reality is that most cancer patients feel
anger at times: At diagnosis, when treatment
is delayed and even after treatment finishes.
Anger can actually be a helpful and motivating
emotion if channeled properly.
(877) 626-5916

4. Some Facts About Anger
Anger is an emotion (a feeling) and not a
behavior.
It has physical components that include
increased heart rate, blood pressure and
adrenaline.
All emotions are valid and give us important
information to consider and acknowledge.
(877) 626-5916

5. Why Would Mesothelioma Patients
Feel Angry?
Misdiagnosis or mistakes in staging
mesothelioma
Delays
Insurance approval
Receiving benefits from VA or SSD
Lack of a mesothelioma cure
Negligence resulting in asbestos exposure
Others’ expectations of how we should be
feeling or acting
(877) 626-5916

6. Coping with Anger in
a Healthy Way
Recognize and FEEL your anger
Many people automatically try to dismiss or squash
the feeling of anger when they notice it.
We need to recognize and reflect upon what is
going on in our lives when we feel anger.
Are we scared of something? Are we being taken
advantage of by someone? Are we being misunderstood
or not being heard?
We can’t problem-solve an issue until we
UNDERSTAND it.
(877) 626-5916

7. Healthy Ways to Express Anger
Venting is what we call anything that allows our
anger to be expressed verbally or physically. It is
the way we get our anger OUT.
If we don’t vent our anger regularly, it often
comes out the wrong way at the wrong person
for the wrong reasons.
When we lash out at our loved ones, we risk
alienating the very people that we are relying
on for support, love and care. They don’t
deserve that kind of treatment.
(877) 626-5916

8. Expressing Anger (con’t)
If we have reflected on WHY we are angry
in the first place, then we can determine if
we can channel our feeling productively.
If we feel ignored by a healthcare professional,
we can clarify our needs and communicate
them with the appropriate person assertively.
We are more likely to have our needs met if
we are able to express our anger without rage,
yelling, name-calling or sarcasm.
(877) 626-5916

9. Expressing Anger (con’t)
Hopefully, we all have a few people in our
lives that we can comfortably talk to about
our frustrations and anger.
Often, just being “heard” by someone who
appears to care is very helpful at dispersing
our anger.
(877) 626-5916

10. Expressing Anger (con’t)
Support groups are a great place for
mesothelioma patients and caregivers to
share their frustrations and fears. Having a
place where it is okay to express all our
emotions related to mesothelioma
provides a great outlet for anger
management.
(877) 626-5916

11. Expressing Anger (con’t)
 Sometimes, the issues that lead us to feel angry are
not in our control.
 Anger is a very physical feeling, which is why some
people want to hit or throw things when they are
angry. This is destructive and can get us into
trouble.
 But finding ways to blow off steam physically is
helpful. Anything that works up a sweat will do:
Walking fast, scrubbing the shower, mowing the
lawn, punching your pillow, etc.
(877) 626-5916

12. Calming
After we have vented our anger
(appropriately), we may feel pretty
stimulated and want to calm down.
There are a couple of ways to reduce our
level of stimulation.
Humor: Funny movies or TV shows are
great at releasing the “feel good” brain
chemicals that make us feel better.
(877) 626-5916

13. Calming (con’t)
Resting in a quiet place and taking deep
breaths will bring down our heart rate and
blood pressure so that we begin to feel calm
again.
Warm baths or quiet walks are helpful, too.
Music that we enjoy and are familiar with (it
doesn’t have to be relaxation music) will also
calm down the physical feeling of anger.
(877) 626-5916

14. Calming (con’t)
Hobbies such as painting, reading, doing a
puzzle or fishing are all great ways to
rebalance our mood after feeling angry.
(877) 626-5916

15. Take Home Messages
Anger is a very normal AND healthy emotion
in life as well as when you or a loved one has
mesothelioma.
Actively engaging with the feeling and finding
healthy ways to express it is key to good
anger management.
We risk endangering our close relationships if
we fail to cope with our anger in a healthy
way.
(877) 626-5916

16. Contact Information
1-877-626-5916
(877) 626-5916
Facebook.com/themesocenter
@TheMesoCenter