Managing Stress During Cancer

Stress, also called psychological stress, is what people feel when they are under mental, physical or emotional pressure. The things that cause stress are called stressors. They can come from daily responsibilities like work, family and money. Serious health issues cause stress too, such as a cancer diagnosis in yourself or a loved one.

The body responds to stress by releasing hormones. Those hormones raise blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar. This is often called the fight-or-flight response. It helps you act quickly to escape a threat. The response is useful for short bursts of stress. But when the stress is long-term, or chronic, the response can be harmful. People with chronic stress can have problems such as high blood pressure, headaches, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and a weaker immune system.

This is a common worry. The honest answer is that it is not clear. Chronic stress can lead to many health problems. Whether it is linked to cancer is uncertain. Studies have had mixed results. Some find a link for certain cancers. Others find none.

Even where stress does appear to be linked to cancer risk, the link could be indirect. People under chronic stress may take up unhealthy habits. Smoking, overeating, becoming less active, or drinking alcohol. Those habits are themselves tied to a higher risk of some cancers.

The good news is that there are proven ways to cope with stress during cancer.

Lean on emotional and social support

Emotional and social support can help you learn to cope with stress. They can also lower levels of depression and anxiety, and ease symptoms from the disease and its treatment. There is some evidence that managing stress through social support is linked to better outcomes for people with breast cancer.

If you need help, ask. For emotional and practical support, ask your hospital social worker or nurse where to find resources. If you are worried about insurance or money, tell your health care team, so they know your concerns. Then contact your hospital billing office for guidance.

Stay physically active

Being physically active is another way to cope with stress. A major report found sufficient evidence on this. Moderate-intensity physical activity during and after cancer treatment can reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in cancer survivors. There is also evidence that physical activity helps prevent depression among survivors of childhood cancer. Ask your doctor what level of activity is right for you.

Get screened and get help when needed

Some expert organizations recommend screening for all cancer patients. The tool might be a distress scale or a questionnaire. It is used soon after diagnosis, and during and after treatment. It helps the team see whether you need help managing stress, or are at risk for distress.

If you are under significant stress, you may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional. Treatment of significant distress, depression, and anxiety might include talk therapy, medicine, or both. The choice should be personalized. Ideally you and your provider decide together.

Stress can keep your body from healing as well as it should. So it helps to be proactive and talk about concerns early in treatment. If it feels like too much, a family member or friend can raise concerns for you. The key is to find ways to control your stress, and not to let it control you.

If you are in immediate distress or thinking about hurting yourself, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. You can also text the Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741), or use the Lifeline Chat online. Help is available 24 hours a day.