Receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis can have a heavy impact on the life of the patient as well as their family. Cancer comes with a lot of uncertainty and you may feel overwhelmed or anxious. Facing a serious illness can bring on a wave of emotions like depression, shock, fear and even anger. 

These kinds of feelings are common, however, they shouldn’t be dismissed. For many mesothelioma patients, therapy can be a great option to help you cope with your disease. 

1. Manage Physical Side Effects

Cancer can certainly take a toll on a patient’s body. Counseling can help patients cope with the side effects of mesothelioma treatments. Treatment for this disease can be an exhausting experience and oftentimes includes:

• Radiation 
• Chemotherapy 
• Surgery 
• Or a combination of these therapies

A therapist can help support you throughout your treatment regimen especially when you’re experiencing side effects like pain or extreme fatigue.

2. Evaluate Your Feelings

After a mesothelioma diagnosis, it may feel like your whole world is going to change. It’s important to know that feeling a variety of different emotions at once is normal. Sometimes you might not even know what to feel.

In a therapy session, you will be able to sort through all these feelings and help you get a better understanding of yourself. Exploring your feelings with a professional allows you to open up as well as process each emotion.

3. Reducing Stress 

Stress and anxiety affects thousands of people everyday. However, when faced with a serious medical diagnosis, patients may become fixated on the “what’s to come” and ultimately be paralyzed with stress. It may be hard to function in your everyday life when you’re continually consumed by stress.

In therapy, you can practice ways to reduce stress like meditation or yoga. You may also find that just taking a walk or going for a run can improve your overall mental well-being. 

4. Decision Making

There may come times when you need to make important decisions about your medical treatment or plans for the future. Having someone to talk through these decisions can be very beneficial in helping you figure out what you want.

5. Find Ways to Cope

A major life changing event, like cancer, can sometimes lead overwhelmed people down a path of destruction. They may decide to cope in more harmful ways like drug dependency, excessive sleeping, binge eating or starvation. 

Therapy can be a way to find positive and healthy ways to cope with your illness. Some coping mechanisms may include:

• Regular exercise 
• Quality time with loved ones
• Following a routine 
• Hobbies 

6. Open Communication

Therapists can also be a point of contact when it comes to helping you discuss your illness with friends and family. If you so choose, they may be able to help communicate any issues you might have with your doctors, friends and loved ones. This can be a way to ensure that everyone is fully supporting you and your cancer journey. 

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, there is compensation available for you. The lawyers at BCBH Law have helped hundreds of patients receive the justice they deserve. Oftentimes, patients and their loved ones are able to use this compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages and other unforeseen expenses due to their illness.