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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Having cancer is one of the most challenging things you can go through but to help you share your fears and overcome this difficult time, there are many support groups available. These can help you to come to terms with your diagnosis while offering you the emotional support you need, putting you in touch with others who are going through the same thing as you.
Why Should You Join a Support Group?
Joining a support group can help you to deal with your emotions as you come to terms with this disease. You may be in a state of disbelief or you may feel incredibly angry. Others find themselves scared, sad and alone because even though they may have a wonderful support network of family and friends around them, they don’t understand exactly how it feels to be suffering from cancer.
The stress of this experience can be reduced through support groups as you communicate with others who are in the exact same situation as you. You’ll be able to share your experiences and feelings with other members, which may be something you don’t feel as though you can do with family and friends. Being part of such a group can help to give you the sense of belonging, removing your fear of being alone throughout this harrowing process.
Some support groups also offer practical advice so you can ask questions about what the treatment will entail and how you will be able to manage the side effects and pain of your treatment. By talking about this, it can help to remove that sense of helplessness, providing you with that much-needed clarity you’ve been searching for.
A lot of research suggests that those attending support groups feel less anxious and depressed. And the groups also provide more hope, which helps patients to keep their emotions in check. However, they might not be for everyone, so if you do try a support group and find it isn’t right for you, you may want to seek support elsewhere, e.g. on a one-to-one basis with a specialist counselor.
What Type of Support Group Should You Join?
There are a variety of ways that groups can provide you with the support you need and it may be trial and error until you find a group that works for you. For example, you may find that there are support groups that are led by other group members who have been through a similar situation or that they’re led by a professional (e.g. a psychologist, a social worker or counselor). Alternatively, there are ones that are more information-based and involve speeches from doctors and other professionals who can help to answer more technical questions.
You may also find that there are groups targeted towards specific people, e.g. people with all different types of cancer or ones with a specific type of cancer (e.g. an ovarian cancer support group). Other groups may be aimed at people who are within a certain age bracket or have a particular stage of cancer while others may be for those who are providing care for a loved one who is suffering from cancer.
In more recent years, internet support groups have also grown in popularity and are ideal for those who aren’t near to a support group or don’t feel comfortable attending a support group in person.
How to Choose Your Support Group
Before choosing a support group you should consider what it is that you’re looking for from the group and what will be in keeping with your needs. For example, do you feel as though you need educating and informing about the disease or are you looking for emotional support? Will you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings with a group of strangers or would you prefer to stay anonymous online?
And if you don’t feel as though joining a support group is right for you, you may want to consider talking to a friend, speaking to an individual counselor or asking your nurse or doctor more specific questions.
Finding a Support Group
To find a support group near you, you could ask your medical center, hospital or doctor for their recommendations. A lot of cancer treatment facilities or hospitals will facilitate their own support groups, which may be beneficial when it comes to traveling to and from the location and for getting advice from doctors/nurses you are familiar with.
Alternatively, you can search for cancer support groups online, looking for ones that are specific to your cancer or that are open to everybody.
Beth Kling in the Communications Director at SHARE Cancer Support, a non-profit organization founded in 1976 that is dedicated to building a network and community for women affected by breast and ovarian cancer.
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