"Scanxiety" - what it is & ways to cope
The dreaded scan…I know the feeling all too well. Your scan is coming up and all of the sudden all of your emotions and anxieties come flooding back in. You start to go down a rabbit hole of thoughts “The cancer is back” “I’m going to have to go through treatment all over again” “Why can’t I just be healthy again?” “What was that weird pain I had two weeks ago?” and the list goes on. This is a completely normal feeling and everyone I know that has gone through cancer feels the exact same. While it will definitely start to subside a bit with time, it will always be there unfortunately. We went through a traumatic experience where the rug was pulled out from under us and everything we had planned for our lives was taken for a period of time. PTSD is real and something almost all cancer survivors experience no matter what type of cancer or treatment you had. Scanxiety is there because your brain is trying to prepare you for the worst before it happens so that you’re never surprised by life ever again. Your brain is trying to protect you, but instead it’s hindering you from living your life in the present. So how can we cope to make this anxiety a little bit better?
Start journaling when the anxiety creeps in. Write down all your thoughts no matter how ridiculous or unbelievable they are. Write them all out and the reasons you’re thinking those thoughts. Then reflect back on them after you’re done and mark which are actual real facts. Most likely the majority of them will not be. Writing them all out and actually analyzing where these thoughts are coming from will help to put things into perspective and help you realize that your mind is playing tricks on you by believing the worst is about to happen.
Find your people. Make a list (short or long) of friends, family, coworkers, or support group members you can go to before the scan that you know will lift your spirits and ease your anxiety. When you’re in your own head about things, you can start to spiral so talking to someone with a third party perspective can really help to both ease the anxiety and get out of your mind a bit.
Sleep!! Easier said than done, I know, but sleep is so incredibly important! What helps me is to listen to an audiobook or bedtime story on the meditation app Insight Timer which is totally free! This helps you to get out of your head when you’re lying in bed and focus on something else. Your mind is probably exhausted so I guarantee this will help put you to sleep very quickly.
Eat clean and avoid alcohol. I know this is an annoying one because this is the opposite of what you want to do, but eating healthy and feeling great the week before your scan is so beneficial. Consuming clean foods is shown to reduce inflammation, ease anxiety, and boost endorphins. It will also get you in an overall more positive mindset because when you feel healthy, you believe you’re healthy too!
You got this you warrior and just remember you’re not alone! This is all normal and you’re going to be fine!
xo,
Maddy