Maintaining Quality of Life After A Terminal Illness Diagnosis

The moment you hear your doctor tell you that you have a terminal illness, it can feel as though the world falls away around you. It’s the one thing no one wants to hear, and it can feel as though all hope is lost. For those who haven’t experienced this, it can be difficult to understand the complexities of emotion that run through your mind and how this can affect you in the days after finding out that you are so seriously ill. Navigating what comes next is an overwhelming challenge, but it is important to try to make the most of the time you have left and maintain the best quality of life possible throughout this period. If you have recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, below are some suggestions on how you can get through it.

Mental Health

Naturally, you are going to experience all kinds of emotions throughout this time. You will likely go through the five stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This is a perfectly natural reaction to hearing that you have a terminal illness, and some days will be harder than others. To help you healthily deal with your emotions, you might want to consider getting some counseling to guide you through this, or perhaps look at support groups for others who are in your situation. Being with those who understand what you’re going through can help you feel validated and understood in a way that your loved ones might not be able to.

Diet and Exercise

Another thing you should try to manage is your diet and exercise. While there might be limitations around this due to your illness, trying to stay as healthy as possible will help you feel more energized and can even help you to feel more positive. Even if you’re just getting out for short walks throughout the day, fresh air and leaving the house can give you a bit of a boost and help things feel more normal, rather than being stuck inside. Just make sure you’re not over-exerting yourself, as this might make you feel worse in the long term.

Think About Future Care

While you might not want to dwell on this for too long, it is important to look forward and think about the type of care you might need in the future. There are many options available when it comes to palliative care, and you can even get this kind of support at home if this is what you’re comfortable with. You might also want to consider hospice care if this will be more suitable for you and your family, and you can see an example of what you should be looking for at this hospice in San Diego County, CA.

Enjoy The Small Things

This might be easier said than done, especially if you’re feeling depressed and anxious. However, taking stock of your life and enjoying the small things can help you feel calmer and perhaps even more grateful for those experiences. You might even want to make a bucket list as a positive thing to focus on, as well as spending time with your loved ones at every opportunity.

Coping with a terminal illness is never easy, and everyone processes this in different ways. While some of the points above might not work for you, it’s worth considering them and thinking about how they can help you during this difficult time and how you can make the most out of the time you have.