AFTER CANCER: FEELINGS. CONFUSION
What Can I Do If I Feel Confused?
Things you can do to diminish your sense of confusion include
• prioritizing your responsibilities, then attending to the most important, most immediate ones
simplifying your questions and concerns (writing them down may help you clarify them)
• getting, or having someone help you get, more information, so that you can find satisfactory
answers to your questions (if your questions all end up being unanswerable or if you cannot prioritize your responsibilities, you will benefit from outside guidance in forming your questions and organizing your priorities)
• getting help from friends, family, and your health care team
Confusion is a symptom like pain, fatigue, or blurred vision. Do not be embarrassed about being confused. Let your nurse, doctor, and family know. Bringing attention to your confusion will
• minimize the risk to your health
• minimize the risk that people will misinterpret your actions
• help clarify the confusion
• avoid preventable delays in your recovery
What If Things Seem Unreal after Treatment Is Completed, As They Did When I Was First Diagnosed?
In the realm of everyday events, our subconscious is ready to accept what we experience, so we perceive our experiences as real. When events or emotions are intense or extraordinary, and our subconscious is not yet ready to integrate the information, we perceive them as unreal. They become real with time, as the subconscious develops a readiness to accept the reality.
During cancer therapy you spent weeks or months suppressing the feared outcomes, and you rehearsed in your mind life after treatment. The heightened emotions that accompany being reevaluated, coupled with end-of-treatment physical effects, can make any news seem unreal, even good news.
During treatment you spent a lot of time focused on your treatments, hospitals, and doctor visits, and in an environment such as the doctor’s office where having cancer is the norm. As you spend more time in settings where most people are well (school, work, shopping malls), the apparent contrast between you and those around you will make things seem unreal. This sense is heightened by your feeling different in a place that used to be familiar. This is similar to when you visit a former home or your old school. Everything looks familiar, and yet it feels different because you are different.
It can take days to weeks for things to seem real again. If it is taking longer than you think it should, or the feeling is lasting longer than a few weeks, get some outside guidance.
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Tags: Cancer