Stress

Psychosocial factors in cancer development, progression, and treatment have been little studied, although there is some evidence of benefits from having strong social support and lowering stress, particularly chronic stress. Of course, there’s positive stress as well as negative stress.

Positive stress may mean being busy doing things one likes to do, which argues for maintaining business as usual if that’s an affirming routine. I like writing and editing, even when it means there are deadlines to be met. I enjoy interacting with consulting clients, other writers and editors, and publishers. I don’t feel stressed doing what I like to do.

Negative stress, worry, depression, and social isolation are another matter. With any chronic illness, there is danger of falling into a pattern of negative stress: worrying about the illness, withdrawing from family and friends, and allowing negative self-talk to dominate one’s internal voice. I have found two (among several) activities are frontline stress reducers for me. One is walking; the other is meditation.

Even very short walks are refreshing because they allow me to focus beyond myself, beyond the walls and windows of my home. The other day I was feeling especially tired, which is one side effect of my cancer medication. Nonetheless, I pulled out one of my Alpine sticks (a cane with a pointed metal end, made for hiking), drove to some woods I like near a small lake, and slowly climbed a hillside path, knowing that at the crest there is a bench where I could sit. It was a slow climb, and I felt like a very old man making my way up the hill, aided by my walking stick.

But it was worth the effort. Sitting alone on the bench among the trees, I savored the gentle breeze, the whispering leaves, bird songs, the noisy geese on the lake below, and sounds of small creatures skittering among last fall’s leftover leaves. I took the picture above, sitting on that bench, and then took a moment to compose a haiku, jotting it into my smartphone. Later, I shared both with my friends on Facebook. Here’s the haiku:

Birds twitter spring songs

Geese laugh on the lake below

I sit, listen, breathe

Meditation is another way I find to relax. I don’t attach any religious or even, necessarily, spiritual connotation to meditation. I simply find the practice of conscious breathing and focused thinking to be deeply relaxing. I prefer guided meditation to self-directed efforts. There’s an excellent resource to be had at Fragrant Heart (fragrantheart.com).

Stress reduction improves my quality of life at any time. I find it to be especially important as I deal with cancer treatment.