Finding Emotional Support After a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Coping with the emotional toll of the disease is as important as dealing with the physical issues. For one thing, mental health issues can negatively affect treatment. “Mental health is important for any patient’s well-being, not just a cancer patient’s,” says Jack Jacoub, MD, a medical oncologist and the medical director of MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “A lot of times when a patient receives a lung cancer diagnosis, they feel it’s a death sentence. I have found that cancer patients who have a strong support system, which may include working with a mental health specialist, fare better.”
Here are some proven ways to tend to your mental well-being, including your emotional health, after learning you have non-small cell lung cancer:
1. Embrace Palliative Care
“Palliative care is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to lung cancer and mental health,” says Kristen Marrone, MD, a lung cancer oncologist at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore. “That and access to our social workers are two of our biggest tools and assets when treating our patients.”
2. Start a Mindfulness Practice
Mind-body practices, such as meditation and yoga, “really help patients stay engaged and aware of what’s going on with their bodies and help them handle the mental and emotional aspects of their diagnosis better,” says Dr. Marrone.
3. Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
“A therapist can be enormously helpful throughout the course of diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer,” says John Schweichler, a medical family therapist with the Duke Cancer Center Patient Support Program. “Your oncology team may have a therapist available on staff, or they may be able to recommend local providers. Consider seeking a provider who has experience working with couples and families, as we know that a cancer diagnosis affects the whole family’s well-being.”

4. Move Your Body
“Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight certainly helps lung cancer patients stay stronger mentally and emotionally,” says Marrone. But this doesn’t necessarily mean taking on a strenuous exercise regimen. Work with your care team to develop a plan for physical activity that’s right for you.
5. Take Mental Time-Outs
Taking time away from everything related to cancer treatment is important for maintaining positive mental health, according to Schweichler.
“Take time to care for yourself,” he says. “The effort you put toward caring for yourself physically, emotionally, and in your relationships with loved ones will help you to have the best possible outcomes.”
6. Turn to Your Faith
If you’re religious, the support you receive from your church, synagogue, mosque, or temple can provide needed strength, Marrone says.
“We have seen those communities rally around people simply by checking in on them, visiting them, bringing them meals, or taking them to appointments so they’re not alone,” she says. “It’s a layer of support and positivity that helps people a lot after a diagnosis and especially during treatment.”
7. Find a Support Group
“There are other people like you out there,” says Schweichler. “Take opportunities to learn from their experience and seek their support. Support groups can be a wonderful source of information and support for both patients and caregivers. Additionally, connecting with a local or national lung cancer advocacy and support organization can provide valuable support and resources.”

Seth Gillihan, PhD
Medical Reviewer

Blake Miller
Author
Blake Miller is a writer and editor whose work has been featured in various national magazines including House Beautiful, Southern Living, Coastal Living, Family Circle, O: The Oprah Magazine, Fast Company, REDBOOK, SELF, Women's Health, Glamour, Forbes.com, ELLEdecor.com, as well as other major regional publications.
She is the co-editor-in-chief of Home Design & Decor magazine. Her specialties are home design, travel, health and fitness, finance, real estate, bridal, and social trend topics. She is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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