Cancer can take a significant toll on your body as it is not only physically taxing but mentally and emotionally exhausting as well. In addition to the diagnoses and treatment process, things can be further complicated with stress. This results in a negative toll on your body, having an adverse effect on your health when the primary goal is to heal. As such, it’s important for your overall well-being that you reduce any additional detriments, some of which can be found below.
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Table of Contents
Take It Easy on Yourself
The most important step to coincide with your treatment routine is to have grace with yourself as you fully focus on improving. This means reducing your working hours or even taking time off, resting when your body is tired, limiting or saying no to additional obligations, and anything else that conflicts with what is of utmost importance to you. While it may be difficult to turn down friends and loved ones in the beginning, saving yourself from the additional stress of rigid commitments can result in an easier treatment planand more time for healing.
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Make Time for You
Working in conjunction with the first step is to prioritize yourself. While not opting for anything too intense on your body, it’s okay to spend some time with yourself, doing the things you love or even things you haven’t discovered yet.
If you’ve always been career-focused with little time for extracurricularsprior to diagnosis or had no free time for you, allow yourself grace in reserving time for self-care. Ideas include a warm soak in the bathtub a few nights a week, watching the latest movie (or your favorite from years ago), and doing what brings you joy! The key here is to not overdo it but to find that perfect balance for you.
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Purchase a Cancer Insurance Policy
One way to prevent stress down the line is by being prepared with a supplemental cancer insurance policy .These plans can be adjusted to work with your needs and fit into your budget. But keep in mind that the policy coverage specifics will depend on the company you decide to go with. There are overarching cancer insurance policies as well as ones that hone in on a specific type, such as breast cancer.
If you’re more prone to one illness or the other, it may be useful to adopt a honed in plan for most relevant coverage, or purchase a general critical illness plan, depending on your specifics. Understanding your options and applying for a plan that fits your lifestyle or potential risks can be a great supplemental insurance option to help ease the burden of financials.
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Talk to Someone
Whether it’s joining a support group, finding the right mental health professional, or confiding in your closest allies, speaking about the processes, your feelings, or anything you need to get off your chest can be extremely relieving and help you to rid yourself of additional stress. Remember that keeping feelings bottled up may only lead to more stress and ultimately not help you in your time of need.
Starting with those around you may be the easiest, but many times, they may not know the ins and outs or the challenges you’re facing through your treatment. In that case, it may be best to find a support group, which is often filled with people who know exactly what you’re going through because they’ve been through it or are currently going through it. Speaking with a licensed professional can also be helpful for navigating life after treatment, such as anxieties that cancer makes come back after treatment is complete, as they can help guide you throughout your journey.
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.
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