Hello all
I've just signed up and am already feeling anxious about participating in forums - either actively by posting, or passively by reading other's experiences.
Upon reflection I realise (at least) 2 things:
1) I'm scared of reading about how unpleasant others' situations might be and my anxious brain going down the "what if that happens to me?" path, and
2) I will probably (consciously or not) compare my experience to others and feel guilty for seeking support for what I perceive to be less significant worries or concerns.
I suppose, though, that having identified these underlying processes I can at least attempt to find strategies for managing them. Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Hi JRBreastCa and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I'm sorry that a cancer diagnosis has meant that you've needed to find us but I hope I can reassure you that not everything you read here will be "about how unpleasant others' situations might be" as there are lots of positive outcomes too.
As the online community is divided up into different support groups the best way to get the most out of this community is to join a group which reflects what type of cancer you have. You can either reply to me to let me know, and I can then provide you with a direct link to that group, or you can look through this list to choose the one that's appropriate for you.
Please do not worry about " seeking support for what I perceive to be less significant worries or concerns" as nothing is trivial when you've had a cancer diagnosis and everyone's concerns are valid.
It would be great if you could pop something about your diagnosis and treatment so far into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi JRBreastCa
I had breast cancer too. In my case it was triple negative.
This is the direct link to the breast cancer group to save you looking it up. Once you've joined and you feel ready to post, you can start a new post in the same way as you did here and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
