{"id":7111,"date":"2021-02-09T14:27:23","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T06:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solariscancercare.org.au\/?p=7111"},"modified":"2021-02-09T14:27:23","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T06:27:23","slug":"its-all-about-perspective-coping-with-ovarian-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/2021\/02\/09\/its-all-about-perspective-coping-with-ovarian-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;It&#8217;s All About Perspective&#8221;: Coping with Ovarian Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>by GEMMA CROTTY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A cancer diagnosis always results in shock and confusion for both patient and their loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But with ovarian cancer, dubbed the \u2018silent killer\u2019 of cancers, there are usually no obvious symptoms until later stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of this, there is a heightened sense of fear associated with this form of cancer. It is also normal to feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Stressed<\/li><li>Anxious<\/li><li>Overwhelmed<\/li><li>Angry<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But when it seems like everything\u2019s falling apart, it\u2019s especially important to maintain a healthy mentality and consider a readjustment of perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Staying Positive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cancer patients may get tired of the pressure to maintain a positive outlook on their diagnosis, and this is especially true when the physical and emotional burdens of cancer become too much to deal with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In such a time, thinking good thoughts may neither be a patient\u2019s priority, nor be effective in alleviating their physical suffering, but it could, at the very least, help them cope and get through their ordeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often when cancer patients hear the phrase, \u2018thinking positively\u2019, they think this means being in denial about their diagnosis and its potential outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, as some <a href=\"https:\/\/healthtalk.org\/ovarian-cancer\/coping-strategies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">patients<\/a> have demonstrated, a healthy balance may be achieved by acknowledging one\u2019s illness, yet choosing not to dwell on it every minute. It\u2019s impossible to know what will happen in the long-term, so try to focus on the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One tactic that could help when you are overwhelmed with negative thoughts, is having a mantra to repeat to yourself. This should be something easy to remember for maximum effectiveness, and could even be part of a book or movie quote. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.roswellpark.org\/cancertalk\/201806\/survivors-share-their-cancer-fighting-mantras\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one patient <\/a>revealed her mantra to be, \u2018Just keep swimming\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintaining a Sense of Normality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One piece of advice that has worked for <a href=\"https:\/\/healthtalk.org\/ovarian-cancer\/coping-strategies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">some ovarian cancer patients<\/a> is to try to assume a sense of normality in your life. Although you can\u2019t ignore your diagnosis completely, you may be able to choose whether it affects certain aspects of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This may mean different things, depending on what works for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, simply going about your everyday tasks could keep you from thinking about your diagnosis too much. It is a great idea to keep busy and motivated by setting goals for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, at work, you might choose to not tell your workmates about your illness so that you\u2019re not treated any differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Further, you might like to ask friends and family to limit their questions and comments about your diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it also be a change of mindset &#8211; try accepting that, while your circumstances have changed, this is your new normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Letting Yourself Feel Negative Emotions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite all of this, it simply isn\u2019t realistic to forget about the worries and concerns that come with having cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why you shouldn\u2019t feel guilty about being anxious or sad, nor about letting your loved ones see you like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your loved ones about any anxiety you may be feeling, but if you are burdened with ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/treatment\/treatments-and-side-effects\/physical-side-effects\/emotional-mood-changes\/depression.html#:~:text=Feelings%20of%20depression%20are%20common,is%20reason%20to%20be%20concerned.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">depression<\/a> then you should ensure to seek help through appropriate means, such as a counsellor or a psychologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Gemma Crotty is a volunteer blog writer for Solaris Cancer Centre from her home in Melbourne. Currently studying a Graduate Diploma in Communication at La Trobe University, she is considering a career in communications or journalism. Gemma has a strong humanities research background from her Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Sydney. She has a keen passion for writing and likes to find new ways to hone her skills and connect to others through her words.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A cancer diagnosis can leave you feeling in shock but the power of perspective can help you process the journey in a healthy manner. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9,10,15,16,17],"tags":[45,49,53,183,207,253,283,309,351,474,484,497,498,499,503,518,526,620,673,704,750],"class_list":["post-7111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-cancer-support","category-current-news-and-information","category-integrative-therapies","category-lifestyle-and-environment","category-mind-body-healing","tag-alleviating-the-physical-suffering","tag-angry","tag-anxious","tag-confusion","tag-depression","tag-emotional-burden","tag-family","tag-friends","tag-healthy-balance","tag-negative-emotions","tag-normality","tag-ovarian-cancer","tag-ovarian-cancer-awareness","tag-ovarian-cancer-patients","tag-overwhelmed","tag-perspective","tag-physical-burden","tag-shock","tag-stressed","tag-thinking-positively","tag-workmates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7111\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaris.nicoleking.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}