Read time: 4 minutes.
Scanxiety is a term used for the anxiety someone feels as a medical exam, like an MRI or CT scan, approaches. It can come with feelings of dread or worry, as well as “what if” thoughts focused on receiving bad news, like the return or growth of a cancerous tumor.
Scanxiety can be intense and intrusive, and you might find it difficult to focus on other thoughts or tasks. Many people, especially those who did not experience anxiety prior to their diagnosis, might feel unequipped to manage this feeling.
The first thing to know is that you are not alone. Scanxiety is a common feeling among lung cancer survivors, and managing it is hard. It’s important to acknowledge that cancer is a stressful experience, and scanxiety is a perfectly normal reaction to the reminder of cancer.
1. Learn to Recognize Your Symptoms
Recognizing the symptoms of your scanxiety, both the thoughts and physical responses, is an important first step. Sometimes recognizing these symptoms is easy, but other times it can be hard. You may not immediately know your recent poor sleep is the result of worrying about next week’s scan.
Although these feelings may be different for everyone, symptoms often start about one week prior to a scan and can last days or weeks after the scan while waiting for the results.
Some common symptoms to be aware of are:
- Racing heart
- Headaches
- Stomach pains
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Tense muscles
- Irritability
- Anger
Life includes many stresses that may cause these symptoms and feelings, but being able to identify the root of a symptom can help—such as anxiety over an upcoming scan. Simply being able to recognize it for what it is can help ease stress. Beyond that, there are many techniques that help manage the physical response of anxiety, such as practicing slow deep breathing, writing down your thoughts, and meditation.
2. Practice Positive Self-Talk
It’s easy to say “stay positive” but hard in practice when you’re having negative thoughts. Examples of these negative thoughts can range from “I’m afraid” to “Nothing positive is going to come out of this situation.” When you have these thoughts, a suggestion is to translate them into something positive, such as “I’m afraid, but I am brave and will do this” or “I accept that there are things I cannot change, but at least I know what they are.”
You can also drown out these negative thoughts by focusing on what you can be hopeful for—no matter the results. This may look like reminding yourself that experts are the ones doing these tests. They are the right people and will get you the right information.
3. Exercise
Exercise has been scientifically proven to decrease tension, elevate mood, lessen fatigue, and generally improve quality of life. Even light exercise releases endorphins, which in turn can help improve sleep, stabilize mood, and reduce stress.
Swimming, walking, and yoga are some of the best ways for people with cancer to exercise because they are moderate and low-impact. You can find more information about low-impact exercises here.
However, the best form of exercise is one you enjoy. Liking an activity makes it easy to stay consistent. Be sure to take time to rest between busy, active days.
4. Stay Occupied
While the results of the test or scan are important, it’s also crucial that you give yourself a break from thinking about them and your disease. Many people choose to fill their schedule a week before and after exams with chores, errands, and activities. Others choose to make this time special by scheduling activities they enjoy, such as yoga, hiking, or time with friends. Still others choose to get out of their daily lives and travel, especially during the time between the scan and the results.
Whatever activity you choose, keeping yourself busy and enjoying life will leave little time to fixate on the scan or test results.
5. Talk to Someone Who Has Been in Your Position
Simply talking about scanxiety can be beneficial to managing it. Realizing that many others have been in this same position will help normalize what you are feeling. You may also learn other tips and tricks for managing these feelings from people who have been in your shoes.
Support groups are a good place to find people to talk with. Many hospitals, cancer centers, and local community organizations offer them. LUNGevity has multiple virtual meetup groups each month that you can join.
You can join LUNGevity’s LifeLine program, a peer-to-peer buddy matching system where you get paired with a mentor who understands what you’re going through. Additionally, you can choose to be a mentor for someone else who has recently been diagnosed.
Calling the Lung Cancer HELPLine connects you with our staff, who can help you manage emotional, financial, and support challenges. LUNGevity also has several online groups where you can meet others who are living with lung cancer—visit our Facebook page or Lung Cancer Support Community to learn more.
6. Seek Professional Help
If your scanxiety feels unmanageable and disrupts weeks of your life every few months, talk to your doctor about other tips and suggestions for managing these symptoms. Your doctor might suggest speaking with a professional to get to the root of this anxiety. Many people have benefited from anti-anxiety medications to manage their symptoms. However, these medications are not without side effects, and it is always best to talk to your doctor about the best course of action.