I like the following quotes:
“The best inspirer of hope is the best physician.” Jean
Charcot
“Cancer is a word, not a sentence.” John Diamond
Below is an excerpt from my book: Congratulation. You've Got Cancer.
The Devastating Mental Shock
If, unfortunately, you or you loved ones are diagnosed with
cancer, the traumatic experience often comes with a devastating mental shock.
The initial feelings are usually disbelief (Are you kidding me?), followed by
anger or injustice (Why me?), and then self-pity or self-blame (It’s all my
fault!). The traumatic mental experience is unspeakable and indescribable.
If being diagnosed with cancer is a big deal, then why
is it such a big deal?
For decades, the medical community and the pharmaceutical
industry have knowingly or unknowingly instilled fear in the minds of the
general public. Cancer spells “death,” and cancer is “incurable.” To be
diagnosed with cancer is a big deal because it is all in the mind—your
mind. Cancer is only the second greatest killer of human diseases in the world,
after heart disease. If a person is diagnosed with a heart disease, the news
may not come as shocking and traumatic as that of being diagnosed with cancer.
One reason is that the individual may well be aware of the presence of the
heart problem, as indicated by the body weight or some other tale-telling
symptoms of heart disease. Perhaps the more obvious reason why being diagnosed
with heart disease is less frightening is in the mental self-delusion
that “it may not happen to me right away.” In reality, heart disease is
more fatal than cancer, and can strike suddenly without any warning in the form
of strokes and heart attacks. However, in the mind’s eye, having diagnosed with
cancer is tantamount to having a death sentence pronounced on one, and the date
of execution is only a matter of time.
The Reality Check
Like all other life
experiences, having cancer is just a fact of life—which, at best, is a bed of
roses with many prickly thorns. Everybody has some health problems sooner or
later: some have more serious ones than others; some get them sooner than
others. Mortality is built into our genes to ensure human frailty and eventual
demise.
After the initial denial, the reality of cancer begins to
sink in. On the one hand, a patient may fall into an abyss of despair; on the
other hand, the patient may brace himself or herself to confront the enemy. It
all depends on the mind of the individual.
Yes, getting the disease of cancer is a big deal! But
you have to deal with it one way or another. Accepting the reality of your
health condition will, surprisingly, free you from negative thoughts. In the
Bible, when Jesus said: “The truth will make you free.” (John 8:32), He
meant not only freeing from sins, but also freedom from negative thoughts of
despair and hopelessness that may only further damage health.
The only reality check is to muster your courage and
willpower to change some life habits, including your diet, exercise routine,
and relaxation techniques—more specifically, changing your beliefs, attitudes,
and thought patterns. In other words, help your mind help your cancer.
The Right Mindset
No matter what, you need the right mindset to take the
right action to begin the right process toward healing and recovery from
cancer. Whether you like it or not, you need to see your doctor to discuss your
conditions and treatment plans. Again, your mind plays a pivotal role in
gathering information in order to ask the appropriate questions to determine if
the physician is right for you, or to help you choose the right treatment plan
for your cancer.
Stephen Lau
Copyright © Stephen Lau
No comments:
Post a Comment