Today, Monday 10 October, is World Mental Health Day
Monday 10 October 2022
We know that a cancer diagnosis can turn your world upside down. There's often so much going on with treatments, medical appointments and other practicalities, that the mental toll cancer takes is left unacknowledged. Looking after your emotional wellbeing during your cancer journey, or while supporting someone who has cancer, is so important.
The theme of this year's World Mental Health Day is 'make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority'. We wanted to take the opportunity to shine a light on the support and services available to help you look after your wellbeing and mental health when living with and beyond bowel cancer:
- Looking after your emotional wellbeing is vital. We have an emotional wellbeing area on our website which is a great place to start for a variety of tips and resources, including support for coping with feelings after treatment, managing anxiety and depression, and how to talk to loved ones about your diagnosis.
- Hearing from people in a similar situation can help you feel less alone and provide valuable tips and advice. Why not watch Martin's story on our Facebook page. Martin was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2015, shortly after retiring from over 45 years of police service. Martin says: "I was suffering mentally... I would urge everybody not to think just about the physical side of the cancer diagnosis but the mental side too. You need somebody to talk to."
- Talking about cancer can be difficult and emotionally draining. Read Lucy King's advice on how to talk about cancer on our blog post "Let's Talk About the Big C". Lucy was diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer in February 2022 and she writes frankly about breaking down the barriers around talking about cancer.
- Getting tips from experts on coping with a diagnosis can really help. Read our blog post on coping with a diagnosis of bowel cancer. Written by Tara Radwan, a trainee clinical psychologist, and Clare Reeder, Macmillan Principal Clinical Psychologist, the post explores common emotional responses to a new diagnosis and methods of coping.
- Listen to a podcast could be a helpful way to learn more about looking after your mental health. Episode five of our podcast focuses on looking after your emotional health. Listen here, as George Alagiah interviews Greig Trout who was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer, along with Professor Claire Foster, Professor of Psychosocial Oncology from the University of Southampton.
- Chatting with others who have similar experiences can be a fantastic resource. Our online forum is a welcoming place to ask questions, read about people's experiences and support each other. If you support someone who has bowel cancer, you can also join our caregiver help and support Facebook group.
- Watch our short YouTube video featuring words of advice from our community about looking after your mental health.
- Reading about the emotions you may experience can empower you to deal with them. Our 'Living well' booklet talks about some of the emotions you may experience after finishing treatment, as well as signposting places for you and your loved ones to find support.
- Speaking with experts can really help. Contact our 'ask a nurse' service with any questions or concerns you have about mental health and wellbeing.
- Watch a recording of our event 'Supporting each other through the emotional impact of bowel cancer'.
We strive to provide support and information to everyone affected by bowel cancer and fund breakthroughs in research to help save lives. If you've been inspired by our lifesaving work, donate today and help us stop people dying of the disease.
