Mental Health and Your Diagnosis
Your state of mind has played, and will continue to play, a critical role in your cancer journey. From staying positive to controlling your diet and exercise routine, your overall mental health is a cornerstone in the ongoing treatment and control of your disease.
Just as with your diagnosis, and regardless of which treatment option you choose, you may experience difficult feelings about your situation.
New feelings about treatment are normal. Remember, you do not have to face this alone.
Living with prostate cancer can affect the way you view yourself and it can affect your interactions with the world around you. As always, it’s important to check in with yourself and seek help from your team of doctors, friends and family. Many patients choose to proactively attend support groups with other patients, or begin working with a mental health practitioner. Others feel more comfortable connecting one-on-one with another prostate cancer survivor. Everyone is different in terms of what he needs and how these needs can best be met. The most important thing is to prioritize yourself and reach out in ways that will work for you. Check with the hospital or cancer center where you received treatment for referrals to counseling services, often free, for patients living with prostate cancer.
This blog is an excerpt from the Prostate Cancer Patient Guide. To download the full guide click here.