Cancer Anxiety

Why do I feel anxious?

Experiencing fear, worry, and distress following a cancer diagnosis or during treatment is a normal response. The cancer journey brings with it uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or in remission, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed at times. Anxiety during cancer treatment can take many forms, including worry about the future, fear of recurrence, or anxiety and worry about medical procedures. Cancer doesn’t just affect the body; it impacts the mind and our emotions too.

When your body is faced with something stressful or frightening, it releases adrenaline, which prepares your body to either run, fight or freeze in response to stress. This is known as the fight, flight or freeze response. It’s what makes you leap out of the way to avoid being hit by a car that appears from nowhere, or makes you go completely still if you are startled by a loud noise.

The adrenaline makes your body functions speed up, your heart beat faster and your muscles contract. It also makes your gut movements shut down.

But the natural response that is supposed to protect you can become the problem, especially when it is caused by simply thinking about a worry. The more you worry, the more likely it is that your fight, flight or freeze response starts up, and so your symptoms increase. It can become a vicious circle, which is started by a thought about something that did not or may not happen.

How do I know I am suffering from anxiety?

Feelings of anxiety can range from mild uneasiness to overwhelming panic. Anxiety can make it harder for you to manage your cancer treatment. It can also affect your daily life and relationships. This is why it’s important to be aware of the signs of anxiety and learn what you can do to help manage it.

Symptoms of anxiety include:

•         racing thoughts

•         finding it hard to concentrate

•         feeling irritable, jumpy or restless

•         sleep problems

•         changes in appetite

•         a constant feeling of dread or panic

•         feeling like you are not connected to things happening to you or around you (dissociation).

You may also notice physical symptoms such as:

 •         breathing quickly or heavily

•         feeling faint, dizzy or shaky

•         feeling hot and sweaty

•         a dry mouth

•         feeling very tired

•         a tummy ache and feeling nauseous

 How can I keep my anxiety under control?

 Talk to your GP or specialist nurse: The first step in managing your anxiety is to talk about how you feel. Your healthcare provider can reassure, support, and guide you. It’s always a good idea to let your healthcare team know how you, your family, and your friends are feeling emotionally. There are many resources available to you and your family. Let your oncologist, clinical nurse specialist, or GP know if anxiety is overwhelming you or interfering with your sleep and daily life.

Mindfulness and grounding: Mindfulness involves staying present and fully engaged in the moment, which can be especially helpful when anxiety spirals out of control. Grounding techniques like focusing on your breath, feeling your feet on the floor, or noticing the sensations around you can help bring you back to the present moment. You could simply close your eyes and listen to your surroundings, or to music.

Breathing: Practice slow, deep breathing; breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose and slowly out through your mouth.

Journaling: Writing down your thoughts or tracking triggers can help process uncertainty and separate fears from facts. It can also help you recognise triggers for your anxiety.

Pacing information: Limit doom-scrolling or excessive searching online, and write down specific questions before medical appointments to regain a sense of control.

Exercise: Do some light physical activity, which can help improve your mood and relieve stress. Moving, especially outdoors, even a short walk, can help with anxiety. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise regime.

Hobbies: Carry on with your hobbies and interests, if you can.

Ask for help:  Cancer treatment can bring significant changes to daily life, impacting routines and creating new challenges. Balancing appointments, managing side effects, and coping with emotional shifts can feel overwhelming. Setting realistic expectations and creating flexible routines can help maintain a sense of normality. Consider delegating tasks or accepting help from loved ones to ease the burden.

Stay connected to your family and friends. It’s important to create a support system for yourself during your cancer treatment. Anxiety can make this hard to do, but staying connected to people who can support and talk with you about your experience can help ease your worries.

Learn relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and hypnotherapy, can help you manage your anxiety. Clinical hypnotherapy can significantly reduce anxiety, emotional distress, and treatment-related side effects for people navigating a cancer diagnosis.

How can Hypnosis help with Cancer Anxiety?

Deep Relaxation States: Hypnosis induces a focused, calm mental state that lowers heart rate, eases muscle tension, and quiets racing thoughts.

Sense of Control: It empowers you by giving you a mental tool to actively manage stress and anxiety.

Symptom Relief: Research shows it can also help manage challenges like chemotherapy-induced nausea, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and pain.

Self-Hypnosis: Practitioners frequently teach patients brief, repeatable self-hypnosis exercises (using verbal or physical anchors like breathing patterns) to use independently at home.

What does the Research show?

Proven Effectiveness: Clinical studies and meta-analyses show that hypnosis has a statistically significant immediate and sustained effect in lowering anxiety for cancer patients. (National Institute of Health)

Integrative Care: Many major cancer networks and over 100 breast cancer clinics (including resources supported through the NHS) view hypnotherapy as a valuable complementary therapy alongside conventional medical care. (Cancer Research UK)

Important Safety Note: Hypnosis is a supportive tool and does not treat or cure cancer. It is also generally contraindicated (unsafe) for individuals with severe mental health conditions involving psychosis or active delusions.

A short, ten-minute relaxation audio for anxiety can be found on our You Tube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Wbn2dxBcw