Introduction
There are a lot of different types of cancer in existence today. As such, you should never have to feel alone. You can easily find networks in place to support cancer patients. These groups are meant to provide you with help and assistance throughout the difficult time. Most of these groups are headed by a trained mental health professional. As such, you can rest assured that you will be helped along your way on your journey.
Step 1
Understand that most people who have cancer are over 65-years-old. For this reason, if you fall under this age you may need to take some extra time to find a support cancer group with people who are around your same age. Ask your doctor or medical center as they may be able to help you with this. After all, you are not alone in having cancer, regardless of your age.
Step 2
Another thing that you must understand is that a support cancer group is not for everyone. While a lot of people find that this is a great outlet for venting their anger and tension others find this to be too much. They don’t want to pay a lot of attention to the negative aspects of life with cancer as these thoughts are not all that comforting. In this case you may want to talk to your doctor about getting one-on-one counseling.
Step 3
It is also important to realize that these groups are not meant to help you with clinical depression. Instead, you will need to seek help from a professionally trained mental health provider. They will be able to explore medication options with you.
Step 4
Now that you have a better understanding of a support cancer group you can decide whether or not you really want to find one to attend. If you are still interested in finding a support cancer group, you should call the American Cancer Society. They will help you to find a local support cancer group. You can also talk to your medical center’s cancer unit to see if they have a support cancer group. If you feel as though you are to travel outside of your home, you should consider joining either a phone support group or one online. These types of groups can prove just as useful.
Step 5
Regardless of what type of a support cancer group you choose to attend, you should know that they are governed by the same rules of privacy that actually govern a medical practice. This means that member's names and information must remain confidential. You need to understand this before you attend a support cancer group meeting. Once you have attended a meeting make sure that you respect these confidentiality rules.
Step 6
Step 6
You may also want to help your caregiver find a support group to attend. They can benefit from having the support of others who are in a similar situation. If for no other reason than they may find some comfort in knowing that they are not alone, it is a good idea for them to attend such support group meetings.
