Amy, diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
When you or a loved one are diagnosed with cancer, it can be a massive shock. It can mean having to deal with issues and situations which cause worry and anxiety. You may feel fearful about the future and not know where to turn.
In the latest guest blog series, we’ll be meeting Amy, known on the site as , who struggled with her emotions after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Amy has used her experience to create her own blog to help others manage their mental health through cancer.
Amy told me that she remembers feeling terrified, despair and hopelessness and describes the turmoil she felt inside;
“Being positive didn’t feel right for me. It felt like denial.”
“When I was diagnosed with cancer it was a pretty terrifying time. I experienced despair and hopelessness. Being positive didn’t feel right for me. It felt like denial. Like brushing all the emotional pain - the fear and the sadness - under the carpet and hoping it would go away……except it didn’t.”
Amy, with her dog Lily.
“Trying to maintain positivity made me feel worse. I also read a lot about fighting. But again, this didn’t feel right for me. How could I fight against my own body and the situation I found myself in? Fighting felt like beating myself up.”
“So I decided to let peace be my guide.”
“All I wanted was to feel peaceful inside. So I decided to let peace be my guide.”
“For me this meant finding the courage to face into the topics that were upsetting me - illness, infertility, leaving my family, death. Not fighting, but finding a way to move towards acceptance and peace. I had a sense that focusing on inner peace would help me somehow. .”
Over a few blogs, Amy will share her story and a few mental health techniques.
There will be information on ‘stoic philosophy’, ‘self-compassion’ and a technique to experience and release challenging emotions. Amy asks;
“Does my story resonate with anyone else? I’d love to start the conversation about cancer and mental health more generally. So please do share your experiences.”
If you are interested in reading more about Amy and find her resources which she hopes will help others with their mental health when affected by cancer, you can find her blog here www.carouselmentalhealth.com.
Have you got a question or comment for Amy? Why not use the comments box below to let us know.
We’d also love to hear from you if you’d be willing to share your own experience – email the Community team at community@macmillan.org.uk
