soothing the mind helpful insights appreciated

[NateA]

So being newly diagnosed, frantically educating myself like I'm sure all of us on this forum have done and do always, I've becoming more and more determined soldier up on this. I've began walking, and against my will I've had to change my diet to something a little more healthy. Whay I am most concerned about at the moment is peace of mind. I'd really appreciate knowing what you folks whom I consider now my brothers and sisters, do to get the cancer off the top of the mind. I just want to jot think of it 24/7. Ideas and whatever you may do to help yourselves needed here. Thanks folks, be blessed today!

[midlifemom]

To calm the mind - not necessarily in any order
Xanax
Keeping busy
Physical work
Playing solitaire
Accepting what can't be changed

[lpas]

I've found that getting really engrossed in a good novel helps keep my mind from going to dark places.

[JJ2212]

Imo, the first few months post-diagnosis are the worst. It's really hard not to think about cancer 24/7 and I don't know that I was very successful in keeping bad thoughts at bay. Things that eventually helped:

Seeing a psychologist specialized in oncology
Getting a good night's sleep (with help from meds, when needed)
Allowing myself to cry no more than 5 minutes a day

Take care,

Janie

[Annemiek]

I would add to ta, zolof, internet shopping,netflixmarathons, audiobooks while walking, mindfulness practise, love the chocolate meditation by mark williams ..http://franticworld.com/free-meditations-from-mindfulness/

Spending time with friends doing funstuff, preferably active where you have to keep your mind focussed so you can't drift into thoughts.

I bought some lego buildings for 16+ which is like 3d puzzles except less boring. Mindfull lego-ing saved me ( now I don't know where to keep the buildings)

I read a lot of uk crime/ detective novels just all type of books that grip your mind and you want to know how it finishes, but you don't have to do a lot of thinking while reading.

Giving yourself "time off" of cancer is so important to keep going...

Oh, and I spend a lot of time surfing this forum, looking at the fun topics

Making holiday plans for after treatment, gardening especially getting rid of unwanted plants agressively


Annemiek

[Nik Colon]

I agree with the xanax for stress/anxiety. But mainly, I just try to be as normal as I can. Personally I haven't changed much what I do now from what I did b4, imo, trying to change only makes you more stressed, and stress is one of the worst things for you. If change makes you happy, go for it, but if it stresses you or makes you think of it more because you are changing just because of this, imo it does no good. Jmo

Side note, look at it in a positive way, you found out and can now possibly fix it, vs not knowing and get to the point of no return.

For me, I had issues for sooooo long and knew something was wrong but they couldn't figure out why, I'm happy I can now say...see, I told you, lol

[SugarBubbie]

I found my outlet in drawing and then coloring mandalas. You draw a circle and put anything in it you want. It started with trees, flowers, birds, water falls...you name it. Then I'd color with Sharpie pens. The drawings have changed over the years and now a lot of my family want me to draw them one....who knew I'd turn into an artist. So good came of the bad for me anyway.

I also practice breathing to help with anxiety.

[PainInTheAss]

Ditto on most all of the above. I did a LOT of reading post surgery. More like Wikipedia surfing than books, though. Any thought or question that popped in my head got Googled like "Why don't spiders get caught in their own webs?" And "Is the Black Sea black?" Etc. I would read and read at night until I fell asleep.

I also got really into Ipad games. I had four or five going at once and I would just rotate between them while I was waiting for energy to replenish or for something to build.

I do remember I had a lot really strange dreams during treatment. There was always some disaster happening or something important going on like a Nicolas Cage movie. "I'm going to kidnap the President." I would wake up from a war or invasion and my problems seemed smaller somehow. Oh, and I read a lot about other people's tragedies. There's always someone else in a worse situation or who died younger than you are from something other than cancer. It made me appreciate the time I've had and I felt less like I'd been given a raw deal.

[Joannerogers]

I play solitaire A lot! Surf face book, play casino games on my iPad, read, clean house when feeling energetic and constantly talk to my mother in law on the phone....she can talk for 2 hours straight! If these aren't appealing on bad days and worry creeps in, which it does, I take my Ativan, thinking about medical marjijanua but so far it's not legal in tn and I don't want to add a worry of getting arrested lol...I'm not the jail inmate type lol

[ALW]

I read and exercise a lot. When I can't sleep, I do a self hypnosis sleep mediation (YouTube has tons of them). I wasn't working at the time of diagnosis, but started a part time job during my second week of treatment. It's just 4 hours a day but it keeps my mind off of things and keeps my brain active. Others may disagree with this last thing, but I limit my time on this forum. I found myself freaking out as I was reading each thread. Now I come on here maybe just a few times a week instead of multiple times per day. I do love this ever so helpful forum though.

[Kiwi Debz]

All of the other posters have given great suggestions. I guess the one thing is time.

I remember at the start I was obsessed with this disease, investigating, researching, listening, learning, dreaming ... It was all encompassing and exhausting..

With time I am now fully aware of my dilemma but I don't think about it all day every day. Still get a little anxious from time to time for the unknown but generally I am pretty good.

Give yourself time to learn to live with cancer rather than have cancer and live!

Hang tight!
Deb

[Mattie]

Nate

I'm sorry for your diagnosis. I agree that the first months are the worst. I calmed down some, when I had a treatment plan. It felt good to be doing something about it....but I was still in despair thinking I only had a little time left. My kids were only 8 and 11 at the time. I used to stand at their bedroom door while they slept and cry about all the things I would miss.

It is easy to become obsessed and to think about nothing but cancer 24x7. It does get exhausting.

Just remember nothing is pre determined. Every "cancer Journey" (hate those words, but can't think of anything better) is different. Nothing is pre-determined. You can end up wasting alot of time worrying for no good reason. Looking back over the last 5+ years, I sure have.

Hang in there. You are in alot of good company on this board.

[ab123]

Things that helped me early on in my cancer experience to deal with the stress:

• Stupid comedy movies and YouTube clips helped me. Stuff like auto-tune the news was so funny to me or anything stupid and goofy
• Developing an exercise routine. Got a gym membership, started doing elliptical, swimming
• Talking a lot with my family and friends - sharing my feelings and fear
• Walking the dog
• Going on hikes in the woods
• Thinking about how I fit into the natural world, and the beauty and immortality of that, despite the mortality of my human body.
• Thinking about the role of uncertainty in my life - the fact that it is always there and always has been there with or without cancer. No one ever knows what's going to happen and you might as well imagine good things.
• Life is amazing and wonderful even though we all know it will end one day. Cancer has made me realize that more than ever - which for me is a very powerful and positive thing.