Coping with a New Diagnosis

From the moment the nurse took your blood test to the time the technician finished scanning your body, you can’t help but feel helpless and scared. Fearing the worst but hoping for the best. Part of you may still be in denial. You know something is wrong, but your doctor’s unsure of the cause; and he won’t make any conclusive diagnosis until the test results come back. So you wait. And then the phone call comes…. if your diagnosis comes back as minor then you breathe a sigh of relief, and feel invincible again. But a major life-changing diagnosis often triggers anger, anxiety, fear, guilt, disbelief, sadness, hopelessness, and depression.

It’s a challenge for everyone to manage a new condition, especially if it involves taking medications for the rest of their lives. Stigmas about serious conditions such as diabetes and cancer make a diagnosis much harder to accept. Also, most people think they’re healthy and no disease can touch them; this makes it much harder to accept the news. Sure, the guy next door has diabetes; your co-worker has cancer; your friend just had a heart attack. But you? No way!

The first step to coping is to accept. The quicker you accept your condition the sooner you can assume the responsibility to care for yourself. It’s normal to have anxiety and depression when you’re newly diagnosed with a major disease. You need to realize that these are not signs of personal weakness but very common reactions to facing a life-changing condition.

Coping with a major diagnosis is all about choice. You can choose to be angry, depressed, and feel guilty, or you can choose to channel that energy to learn about your condition and manage your disease. There are many things you can do to help yourself, starting with your doctor. Let him know about your feelings, especially depression, and ask for his help. Or you can open up to your family, friends or a support group; they may be going through the same thing you’re going through. If you’re religious, talk to God and pray. The main thing to remember is you don’t have to go through this period alone. Learning to live with your disease successfully is the key to managing it.

All articles and information on this website are for educational purposes only. They are not to be regarded or relied upon as medical advice. The articles and information have not been evaluated by the FDA. Carefree products are not intended to cure, treat, heal, mitigate, or prevent a disease or illness. Results may vary per person. Consult your health practitioner if you have health problems.