Dealing with the Stress

Your body may react to the stress and worry of having cancer. You may notice that:

• your heart beats faster
• you have headaches or muscle pains
• you don't feel like eating or you eat more
• you feel sick to your stomach or have diarrhea
• you feel shaky, weak, or dizzy
• you have a tight feeling in your throat and chest
• you sleep too much or too little
• you find it hard to concentrate

Stress can also keep your body from fighting disease as well as it should.
You can learn to handle stress in many ways, like:

• exercising
• listening to music
• reading books, poems, or magazines
• getting involved in hobbies such as music or crafts
• relaxing or meditating, such as lying down and slowly breathing in and out
• talking about your feelings with family and close friends

If you're concerned about stress, talk to your doctor. He or she can suggest a social worker or counselor. You could also find a class that teaches people ways of dealing with stress. The key is to find ways to control stress and not to let it control you.