What is scanxiety?
All patients have complicated relationships with their scans not unlike the hate-love relationships we have with other technologies in our lives. We first learn we have cancer from scans, then learn from them if that cancer has shrunk or disappeared, then learn if it has come back. Scans are like revolving doors, emotional roulette wheels that spin us around for a few days and spit us out the other side. Land on red, we’re in for another trip to Cancerland; land on black, we have a few more months of freedom.
— Excerpt from “Scanxiety” by Bruce Feiler (link below).
Tips to manage scanxiety
Give yourself permission to feel scared or angry; acknowledge your feelings. You might get short with people. You might be more tearful than usual. You might be someone who shuts down. Acknowledge what’s going on, take it for what it is, and be gentle with yourself.
Join a support group. There are both in-person and online options to meet your schedule and preference. Talking to others who understand what you’re going through can be extremely helpful! Ask your oncology social worker for a referral or peruse the Cancer Support Community’s calendar.
Distract yourself with enjoyable activities. Watch TV, read a book, go somewhere fun. Cognitive-behavioralists have shown that adding one pleasurable activity per day can have a huge impact on mindset and mood. Use this evidence-based technique on yourself and reap the benefits of years of research.
Yes, it can sound intimidating. But meditation has proven benefits and you can use it before, during, and after your scans. One key is to remember that meditation is a practice — meaning you won’t do it “perfectly” the first time (or ever). The point is to practice clearing your mind, not to successfully clear your mind. Michigan Medicine has a free guided imagery audio library to check out.
Take advantage of resources. Begin a relationship with one of your cancer center’s psychologists, therapists, or social workers — or talk to your providers about anxiety-reducing medications. It’s not a failure to accept assistance, but a show of strength.
Want more?
Here are some extended readings/listenings on this topic.
You’re the experts
When it comes down to it, you reader are the expert in managing scanxiety! What from this list is something you use? What else have you done to manage your scanxiety that we may have missed? What have others shared with you that really resonated? Share in the comments if you feel so inclined.
Note: there is a version of this article on the internet attributed to another author. I wrote this during my internship at Abramson Cancer Center and it appears that they have chosen to assign authorship to a permanent staff member. However, I am the originator, researcher, and when the blog was on the private internal blog for patience, I was listed as the author. C’est la vie!
