Dealing with anxiety and depression

Hi Coheal I just noticed your post so though I would say hi.

I would say that everyone develops their own strategies that help them deal with the stress and anxiety of the cancer journey…… and good that you have found yours. I have note books/journals going back my 24 years…… these were very helpful and are amazing to look back at these many years on.

My escapes were walking (helps when I say in the Scottish Highlands) photography and playing my guitar but this one was robbed from me for a few years due to the amount of chemo I had developed some very bad Peripheral Neuropathy.

Although over my 24 years journey with my rare incurable blood cancer I would never say I was anywhere near experiencing depression.

When I was first diagnosed I was 44, in full time teaching in a FE College, my wife worked full time and our two daughters were 18 and 14 so we sat down as a family and agreed that to help us all navigate the journey we would all be allowed to have off days and could have pity me parties but when the sun rose the next day it was a new day and it was time to move on….. this worked well for us all especially when the journey become very challenging.

Keep on keeping on 

Hi. Glad you are knitting, as a carer it helps me. Something you can control and focus on. I have used meditation  and breathing exercises to regain control over anxiety. I downloaded Headspace for a small fee. I find writing impossible and reading at the moment. You are never alone and know there are others clacking their knitting needles and producing stuff as a means of coping. Take care.