Mental Health and Follicular Lymphoma

The month of May is generally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month by a whole bunch of organizations. I think it's worth highlighting.

For a very long time, I've said that Follicular Lymphoma is an emotional disease as much as a physical disease. Every cancer has an emotional component to it, but I think ours is different in many ways. For many of us, we don't need treatment right away. Our symptoms are not physical -- we may not have any at all. But that doesn't mean we don't have to deal with the stress and anxiety of carrying cancer around in our bodies without knowing if or when it will get bad enough to need treatment. That's what I mean by "emotional symptoms." We have those even if we are (physically) asymptomatic.

And something similar happens when we get treatment, even successful treatment. We are told that FL is incurable. And so we might have the joy of hearing about a Complete Response, but then, maybe slowly, maybe quickly, we get the fear and stress again of worrying if (or when) it will come back. More emotional symptoms, even without the physical symptoms. 

I've dealt with both of those situations. I know it's hard.

And the last year or so has made things harder for many of us. I'm sure we've all heard that people with blood cancers have higher risk for Covid complications. So there's the uncertainty of living within a pandemic, not knowing if that cough is from Covid, or spring allergies, or just a dusty house that's been closed up form months. (I lost 10 pounds last April and May worrying about this very thing.)

For some of us, that worry has eased a little bit, as vaccination rates are increasing and the world is opening up a little more. And for many others, that hasn't happened yet. And even for those who have been vaccinated, there might be that little bit of worry that maybe the vaccination isn't going to work as well as it should. (Again -- I've felt all of these things. When I say "some of us," I'm usually including myself.")

As cancer patients, and especially as Follicular Lymphoma patients, I think we get used to all of this uncertainty after a while. Maybe not "used to it" -- but we learn to live with it, even if we're not happy about it. We find strategies to deal with it. We manage to live our lives, even with the uncertainty, and the stress and worry and fear.

I'm not saying all of this to add to the worry. Just the opposite. I'm saying it to remind you that all of the things you feel are not things that you just you feel. You're not the only one. 

That always brings great comfort to me. I can tell a story, and even if the details of the story are completely my own, and no one has ever experienced that exact same thing, readers will understand the feeling that I had. I'm not alone, and neither are they. There's comfort in being able to say, "Wow -- someone else feels that way, too. It's not just me." 

And that brings us back to Mental Health Awareness Month.

I always think "awareness" months are a little strange, because they tend to focus on the people who are already very aware of the thing being highlighted. 

But sometimes it's good to have the reminder. Mental Health is one of those things.

So while FL patients deal with so much uncertainty, and we've probably all developed strategies for dealing with it, that doesn't mean we don't get overwhelmed sometimes.  The worry and the anxiety can get in the way of living our lives the way we'd like to.

If that's happening, then it's time to do something about it.

Maybe it's as simple as talking to a partner or friend. Sometimes just using words to describe our worries is enough to make them better.

Or maybe it would help to talk to another FL patient. I'm a big believer in support groups, even online support groups. It's that "Wow -- someone else feels the same way I do" thing. (And if you can't find a a support group, feel free to email me. I'm always happy to listen.)

And maybe that's not enough. Maybe you need to contact your oncologist as ask if her office, or the hospital they are affiliated with, offers some kind of help. A counselor or social worker to talk to, or a complementary medicine practice that can offer advice.  Or maybe it's gotten to the point where a prescription would be helpful. There's no shame in that -- no more than taking medicine for a physical problem. 

The big point is -- this is a good month to remember to take care of your mental and emotional health. It's just as important as your physical health, and plays a s big a role in your quality of life. 

Stay well, everyone -- physically and mentally.