There is no doubt that cancer is serious and that most cancer treatment is debilitating, if not disfiguring or life-altering. On the other hand, the satisfaction from your own recovery efforts is empowering and provides a positive outlook on life. Friends and loved ones are generally sympathetic and helpful for a while, but ultimately need to attend to their own lives. People are more attracted to those in a positive mindset than those in a negative one. Human relationships can accelerate the healing and recovery process, so it’s best to find your way to positive emotions and become more involved with matters outside yourself. There’s a balance to achieve between the internal work of self-examination and evaluating your own progress, and the healing that can occur when you focus on the external world.
I’ve developed four phases of chemo brain recovery, the first of which can be accomplished during chemo. It may be tempting to skip Phase I, developing the will to recover, and go to Phase II directly. You might assume that since you’re reading this and you want to recover that you don’t need to dwell on it. If you do, you will be short-changing yourself.
Being an action-oriented, results-driven person, I headed straight for answers and mostly ignored the emotional and spiritual aspects of recovery. In the years since diagnosis and treatment, I learned that I have to periodically work on the emotional and spiritual aspects of myself and renew my will to be healthy. I encourage you not to overlook or minimize the emotional and spiritual components of recovering, no matter how much you may want to rush into the diet, supplements, and exercise.
The Four Phases of Recovery from Chemo Brain
I. Developing the will to recover
II. Designing your recovery plan
III. Phasing in your plan
IV. Avoiding old, negative patterns
Phase I: Developing the will to recover. As surprising as it may seem, not everyone has the will to recover. Being chronically sick or a victim in our society garners attention, sympathy, and, where cancer is concerned, a certain status. People who feel deprived of attention or status in their lives may find it difficult to give up all of that after chemotherapy. I can tell you from personal experience: sympathy and attention for illness are in opposition to recovery. Reinforcement in the form of attention and sympathy for being ill or having symptoms increases the likelihood of continuing or increasing those symptoms. . .
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Chemo Brain and Recovery: A Guide for Survival is protected by U.S. copyright laws and may not be copied or re-distributed without written permission.
Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D.
VABION LLC
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