When your health makes you anxious

Some time ago, I posted about anxiety and someone sent me an interesting article*; even though it is some type of publicity, and I don’t do publicity, it was a different dimension of anxiety that I didn’t know: when you have a health problem and you are waiting for a diagnostic.

Many years ago, I had a friend how was diagnosed with cancer, which he beat. He was so happy, he called me from the other side of the world to tell me the good news. And then, he started to have some problems again and I remember his anxiety, waiting for the response from doctors. It was not good news, but maybe the anxiety itself was the worst.

In his very influential book, Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman talks about his own experience when he was sent for a lab to do a test. Because of his background, he knew it could mean cancer… He analysed about the emotions he felt.

A study of patients in physicians' waiting rooms found that each had an average of three or more questions in mind to ask the physician they were about to see. But when the patients left the physician's office, an average of only one and a half of those questions had been answered. This finding speaks to one of the many ways patients' emotional needs are unmet by today's medicine. Unanswered questions feed uncertainty, fear, catastrophizing.

The focus of Daniel Goleman was about a change in the medical people’s attitude, but I think there are a few things we could do to minimize the anxiety that comes when there is something wrong with our body or mind, but there is no clarity about a diagnosis.

1. The first thing is to keep calm. Easy said than done, but meditation and other practices can help.
2. Stick to the facts, don’t overthink or try to be your own clairvoyant. Just wait and see what happens.
3. Talk to very good POSITIVE friends. They will surround you with their positive aura and that will be healing. I had that experience with a lady, a friend’s sister, while she waited for her diagnosis; about 10 people were there in the room with her sharing nice stories and just giving her good company.
4. Read and feed yourself with positive information. Avoid a reading about your current problem as much as possible.
5. At the day of your diagnosis, act normally. Routine has power in these cases and it will help you to focus your mind on the present.

If you or other people have anxiety before a diagnosis, I hope this may help.

 

* About scanxiety - https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2021/07/29/mesothelioma-scans-scanxiety/

In the morning, what do you think?

Some people say your first meal will define the strength for the day. Could you say the same about the first thoughts we have?

The day is full of opportunities and threats, of hopes and expectations, beautiful roses and huge thorns. Are you going out there dressed as casual as possible, or like a warrior waiting for the next battle?

Your first thoughts will direct your energy towards the day. With some techniques, you can even change a threat into an opportunity. If you meditate before coming out your place, you can experience the energy you need to fulfill your hopes and enjoy the challenge presented by expectations. Those thoughts can prepare you to admire the roses and understand the thorns around.

If you are interested in improving that part of your life, I have a few tips that can be useful and I have good wishes for you that your life will be always a source of contentment.
1. Sleep well. Very well.
2. But, before sleeping, read, watch or listen to something positive. So, if you just saw your favorite episode with pieces of bodies everywhere, then it is important to disconnect and connect to a positive reality, something that encourages you.
3. When you just wake, sit and have a few thoughts in silence, prayer, meditation, contemplation or reflection.
4. After that, enjoy the next hour or so doing positive and constructive things. Read something spiritual, a bit of yoga or joggling can be very good options.
5. During the day, connect whatever is going on with those first moments of your life.

A positive approach about human kind

It is true that mankind has created very sofisticated means to destroy itself.

But it is also true we created many means to rebuild ourselves. Many more than the ones to destroy us.

Perhaps, that is hard to see when we look at the surface of things and situations. But all, destruction and construction, comes from the minds of men and women, children and elderly, people of all colours and paths of life.

This is now the time for rebuilding the world, to create a new society where what we value is so powerful, so powerful, that no trace of our capacity for destruction remains.

This is the time. Right now. Make your choice!