When your doctor tells you that you have prostate cancer or that your prostate cancer has spread, there is no doubt that you will be devastated. It is true that some older patients, who have lived through the vicissitudes of society, are able to take this sudden blow in stride, but most people feel fear and shock.
Unfortunately, the overall prognosis for prostate cancer is relatively much better than for other malignancies, and with advances in treatment modalities, essentially most patients can be cured. However, doctors can treat the cancer in the patient’s body, but they cannot sway the fluctuations within the patient.
Here’s what one prostate cancer patient had to say:
“When I learned that my PSA was elevated, I was very concerned, and then I was hospitalized for a prostate puncture and told that I did have prostate cancer. For the next week, I was in a trance and I didn’t want to think about what prostate cancer would do to me. Then I underwent surgery, which was successful, but after the surgery I was in a state of worry, afraid that the prostate cancer would come back, and if it did, would I be facing death?” .
Entering this patient’s inner world, we get a deep sense of the painful internal struggle that many prostate cancer patients go through. After learning that they have prostate cancer, most patients will feel very anxious, fearful, pessimistic, lost, and lose confidence in the future and in life; and this emotion will be even stronger when they learn that their prostate cancer has progressed or has recurred after treatment.
Of course, some people act fairly optimistic after learning they have cancer. Different people have different psychological reactions, and we have to respect that difference. We can’t be harsh on the more pessimistic patient, but we need to encourage him to step out of the gloom and adopt a more positive attitude toward life and face the future better.
What can be done to help reduce harmful emotions?
Many cancer patients experience negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and fear, all of which are normal when facing a major life blow, but being in a pessimistic and negative mood for a long time is not good for one’s health and, more importantly, can reduce one’s quality of life. Therefore, to learn to reduce and get rid of negative emotions, the following suggestions may help you:
- Write down each of your worries and fears, and then try to overcome them one by one by actually doing something about them.
- Talk to your loved ones or close friends about your pain, or consult a professional psychologist if you don’t want to talk to them.
- Join a prostate cancer patient club and talk to many patients who have had similar experiences, especially those who have been treated for prostate cancer, whose encouragement and advice can help you get over the hump.
- Allow yourself to have feelings of sadness or fear, as similar emotions are inevitable for anyone facing such a sudden blow, and don’t just blame yourself, but let your emotions out as much as possible.
- Find reasonable outlets for stress, such as exercise or listening to music, that can help distract, soothe, and relax.
- Moderate exercise, including resistance exercise and aerobic exercise, not only helps to strengthen your body but also helps to improve your mood.
- Revisit previous obstacles you’ve faced and think about how you overcame them to increase your confidence in fighting the disease.
- Make some actionable plans for the future and then make them happen, which will give you more confidence and hope for your life.
- Let go of your obsessions and don’t expect answers to all your questions, such as whether your cancer will come back, how long you’ll live, etc., and enjoy each day to the fullest.
- Most importantly, seek the help of a urologist who will explain your specific situation in detail and increase your confidence in fighting the disease.
In summary, for those newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is important to minimize the negative effects of the cancer on you and enjoy every day of your life to the fullest.
How can I communicate well with my loved ones?
If your loved one loves you very much and is supportive, this can play a very important role in overcoming prostate cancer. She can listen to your pain, help relieve your stress, and work with you to get through it.
But prostate cancer often causes sexual dysfunction after treatment, and the reduction in sex may cool the relationship between the couple. And prostate cancer, after endocrine therapy, can cause you to gain weight, have a lower sex drive and hot flashes due to decreased levels of testosterone (the main androgen) in your body, and can also cause adverse effects such as enlarged and swollen breasts and loss of pubic hair and beard, changes that can be frustrating for many men.
In addition, treatment can cause your memory to fade and you may become more sensitive to what others say. You may blame yourself and feel less like a man, and it is especially important to communicate with your loved ones to help you get over the pain more quickly. Here are some tips on communication:
- Spend more time with your loved one. You can engage in activities together, such as watching a movie or going for a walk together.
- Talk to each other more often with your lover to better understand each other.
- You can set some goals with your lover and then accomplish them together.
In addition to running a good relationship with your loved ones, don’t forget to seek the help and support of your close friends and family, who may not be alone on the road to beating the disease with their intervention. They are often willing to help you, and it helps to talk to them to release your emotions.
To conclude, here’s what you need to do to better cope with prostate cancer:
- Maintain a better self-awareness and a more positive attitude
- Be aggressive with your treatment
- Regular and moderate exercise
- A healthy diet
- Manage relationships with loved ones and friends
- Get help and support from people around you