Living through a cancer diagnosis and treatment comes with trauma for patients AND their loved ones.

It is physical trauma. 

It is a mental trauma.

 It is emotional trauma.

It is individual and it doesn’t have a time table. 

Processing your feelings about cancer and the outcomes of surgery or treatment is individual. If you find that your feelings are not changing or softening over time or that your responses to everyday situations have changed in a less than positive way it may be time to get some help or explore support groups to see if there is one that is a good fit. Something outside yourself to help you process how you feel and move through those feelings to the other side.

Note: If your responses to everyday situations have changed, that could be a sign of post traumatic stress. 

It is also important to remember that patients, caregivers, children of patients and caregivers may all have different needs. Working through trauma and grief is unique to each of us. We may need to explore unique ways of healing. One size definitely does not fit all.

If you had a great support group experience or activities, or experiences that helped you heal from trauma, share it in the comments. We can all benefit from new ideas.

Continue the conversation in the facebook group Surviving is JUST the Beginning or follow me on Instagram.