Cancer survivors face wide range of emotions

If asked what their ideal post-cancer life would be like, most cancer survivors would likely reference bicycling legend Lance Armstrong. Despite being diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996 and learning the cancer had metastasized into his brain and lungs, Armstrong, given a 50-percent chance of survival upon diagnosis, not only survived cancer but went on to rewrite the cycling record books, winning the sport's most storied event, the Tour de France, a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005.
While most cancer survivors wouldn't ask for Armstrong's athletic accomplishments, the cyclist's post-cancer return to normalcy and doing the things he loves are certainly things all cancer survivors hope for. Such hopes are often met with hurdles, as cancer survivors often experience heightened emotional distress after treatment. While each individual is different, the following are some of the more common emotional responses cancer survivors experience.
·Fear. Albeit to varying degrees, nearly every cancer survivor experiences a fear of the cancer recurring. This fear results primarily from a combination of no longer receiving treatments while simultaneously no longer being as closely monitored by your physicians. Being monitored less frequently after treatment can instill an understandable sense of fear that the cancer might come back. After-effects of treatment as well as continuing to experience cancer-like symptoms are also responsible for cultivating a fear of recurrence.
·Grief. While initially it might seem odd for a cancer survivor to grieve, it's actually quite common. Surviving cancer is no small task, one that can often leave much in its wake, costing patients their financial security, their jobs, and possibly even their ability to function physically. As a result, grief can set in. For those suffering from grief, support groups and grief counselors can be a useful means to long-term grief management.
·Guilt. Similar to soldiers who return home from wars where fellow soldiers and friends might have died, cancer survivors can experience guilt simply because they survived while knowing countless others did not. Guilt can also be the result of a cancer survivor feeling he was far too big a burden on family and friends during his treatment. While these feelings are common, they are also fruitless, as there's no reason to feel guilty for surviving cancer.
·Uncertainty. Like fear, this is experienced in varying degrees depending on the individual. Still, uncertainty is one of the more common emotional side effects, experienced by every cancer survivor to some degree. Uncertainty can arise in all facets of life, whether it's uncertainty about planning too far ahead with family or feeling uncertain about follow-up visits with your physician. Also, what used to be common nuisances such as a cold or headache might now leave survivors wondering as to whether it's just a cold or headache or an indicator that cancer might be coming back.
·Spiritual confusion. This can often be the result of several of the aforementioned emotional responses. Questions such as "Why me?" are often asked by survivors who are feeling both guilty that they survived while others did not and uncertain as to why their life had to take such a sharp turn while others' lives did not. Also, those who are grieving over what they lost during treatment might begin to feel confused as they try and reestablish a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives.
·Anger. While some cancer survivors feel a sense of relief simply for being alive, others might feel angry for a variety of reasons. Anger over a decline in physical condition or decreased capacity are common with patients who continue to focus on what they lost as a result of cancer.