Below are some tips that may help you manage your mood.
- Take care of yourself. Eat a well-balanced diet, drink plenty of water and limit alcohol.
- Do some regular physical activity. This can help with feelings of anger, stress, anxiety and depression, manage fatigue and improve sleep. Even a short daily walk will help.
- Do things you enjoy and connect with others who share your interests.
- Spend time with a pet.
- Share your fears and concerns with someone close to you. This can help you feel less alone.
- Spend time outside in the fresh air. A change of scenery might lift your spirits.
- List activities you would like to do and plan to do one of these activities each day.
- Write down your feelings or express yourself in painting, colouring, music or singing.
- Establish a routine. Get up at the same time each morning. Make an effort to have a shower and get dressed.
- Allow yourself a “low mood day” every now and again. You don’t have to be “up” every day.
- Practise letting your thoughts come and go without getting caught up in them. Try to focus on the present moment, rather than worrying about upcoming check-ups or tests. You may find our meditation and relaxation podcast helpful with this.
- Keep a record of positive things that happen each day. These don’t have to be big things, it could just be an encouraging smile from a neighbour.
See Emotions and cancer for more practical tips.
→ READ MORE: Fear of the cancer returning
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Prof Michael Jefford, Medical Oncologist and Director, Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC (clinical review); Lucy Bailey, Nurse Counsellor, Cancer Council Queensland; Philip Bullas, Consumer; Dr Kate Gunn, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Research Fellow, Department of Rural Health, University of South Australia, SA; Rosemerry Hodgkin, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Prof David Joske, Clinical Haematologist, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Clinical Professor of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, WA; Kim Kerin-Ayres, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Cancer Survivorship, Concord Hospital, NSW; Sally Littlewood, Physiotherapist, Seymour Health, VIC; Georgina Lohse, Social Worker, GV Health, VIC; Melanie Moore, Exercise Physiologist and Clinical Supervisor, University of Canberra Cancer Wellness Clinic, ACT; June Savva, Senior Clinician Dietitian, Nutrition and Dietetics, Monash Cancer Centre, Monash Health, VIC; Dr Elysia Thornton-Benko, Specialist General Practitioner and Research Fellow, University of New South Wales, NSW; Prof Janette Vardy, Medical Oncologist, Concord Cancer Centre and Professor of Cancer Medicine, The University of Sydney, NSW; Lyndell Wills, Consumer.
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