What can help with emotional distress?
• Find a safe way to express how you are feeling. Confide in a trusted friend or family member who can listen without passing judgment or telling you what to do. • You can write about your feelings in a journal or express your feelings through art or some other creative outlet. • You could join a support group for families of cancer patients, or read books or articles written by other families dealing with cancer. It can be very comforting and reassuring to hear how other families feel and cope. • Make time every day to do something you enjoy (even if for only 15 minutes). This could be taking a walk, going out to meet a friend, reading something fun, or spending time in some hobby that you enjoy. One recent study found that family caregivers had less emotional distress when they continued to participate in valued activities and interests. • Plan fun, distracting activities to share together. This can help reduce the stress of long clinic visits, or time spent waiting for test results.
