Navigating Lung Cancer Navigating Lung Cancer | Page 29

Get emotional, spiritual, and psychological support. Few things hit harder
than a cancer diagnosis. You may feel stunned, angry, upset, sad, frightened,
or overwhelmed. Sometimes, you may feel all of these emotions at once. This is
completely normal.
Anxiety and depression may begin to negatively affect your work or relationships.
That might be time for professional help. Talk about your feelings with your health-
care team. Your doctor can assess you for clinical depression. If appropriate, he or
she can prescribe medication and/or refer you to a professional counselor or mental
health professional. Some patients find a spiritual or religious advisor helpful.
Don’t forget that a diagnosis of lung cancer can be stressful for the entire family. Your
family members may feel as overwhelmed as you do. Support groups can help both
patients and families. Talking to others who have had or are living with lung cancer
can help.
Many patient advocate groups offer support and survivorship services. LUNGevity
offers online and peer-to-peer support. It includes a toll-free helpline and PhoneBuddy
program.
The Lung Cancer Alliance maintains a list of online and in-person support groups
across the country. CancerCare also has lists of support groups. They offer online
phone counseling with social workers who specialize in cancer care.
Many hospitals and health-care organizations host lung cancer support groups. Ask
your health-care team what support options near you.
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