Worrying about cancer coming back, or a recurrence, is the most common concern of people who have had cancer. You want to put cancer behind you and move on, but you may find this very difficult to do. This feeling of uncertainty can come in many ways. You may:
- Worry about when the cancer could come back.
- Worry about where most likely the cancer could come back.
- Worry about how long you have before the cancer could come back.
- Check for any physical signs (e.g. aches and pains) in your body that may tell you your cancer has come back.
- Think a lot about what else you can do to reduce the risk of cancer coming back.
While feeling anxious and depressed after completing treatment is normal to experience, if you have these feelings often, if they are very strong or if they get in the way of your daily life, professional help can assist you to manage them.
Self-Reflection Exercise: Support from a Professional Counsellor: Is it for me?
The purpose of this exercise is to find out if you may benefit from talking to a professional counsellor. To find out if you would, a Self-Assessment Questionnaire is provided for you to complete. A professional counsellor can be a social worker, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, or a spiritual care provider at the hospital or at a community organization.
Click and print a copy of the Support from a Professional Counsellor: Is it for me? self-assessment questionnaire. It will take about 5-minutes to complete it.
If you would like to see a professional counsellor, and have questions about which type of counsellor to see, talk to your hospital social worker who can explain and assist you to find the appropriate counsellor at the hospital or in the community for counselling support.
