A roller coaster has been used to describe the process of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. On a roller-coaster, you will be strapped in and sent off into the terror, knowing that there is nothing you can do about it until you emerge, wobbly and battered at the other end. You manage by getting your head down and dealing with it as best you can at the time. It is only afterwards, when you are on solid ground again, that you can look you can look back with a mixture of emotions and feelings
This seems to be an analogy for what happens after diagnosis and during treatment.
The end of the ride is equivalent to the end of treatment.
- Be Kind to yourself: It can feel overwhelming when you think about all the treatment, side effects and people you have met along the way.
- Talk to people about how you feel.
- Spend time with your friends
- Be active
- Finding others who feel the same. There are a lot of events run each month by the Youth Support Coordinators across the East Midlands which can help connect with other young people who have experienced similar things to you to help reduce any isolation that you may be experiencing.
- Know when you need extra help; don’t struggle on your own. Get in touch with your Survivorship CNS or Youth Support Coordinator who can help. Sometimes counselling and psychological therapy can be useful to give you the techniques and strategies to manage feelings that feel like they are taking over.
Online Help & Support:
JTV Cancer Support – www.jtvcancersupport.com
Offers a valuable resource of short films from teenagers and young people with cancer across the UK
Young Minds – www.youngminds.org.uk
Help and advice for mental wellbeing in young people
NHS Moodzone – www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression
Tips and advice for boosting mental health and mental wellbeing
