Business <\/p>\n
When you\u2019re dealing with a major health condition, you might have to regularly go through intense treatment, like chemotherapy<\/a> if you have cancer, dialysis for kidney disease, or bladder instillations for chronic pain conditions like interstitial cystitis (IC). You\u2019re sometimes poked and prodded, told to take nauseating meds, or hooked up to a machine for hours\u2014all of which can seriously take a toll on your mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\n Having some sort of distraction\u2014whether a good book, gripping podcast<\/a>, or friend by your side\u2014can shift your thoughts away from the pain, anxiety<\/a>, or discomfort the procedure may cause and toward something more joyful. We asked nine people receiving treatment for a chronic disease like cancer or kidney failure what they do to get through the toughest treatments. Here\u2019s what they said.<\/p>\n Shayla Lanzon<\/a>, a 33-year-old with stage IV colon cancer<\/a>, has been receiving chemotherapy infusions every other week for the past few months. To get through the sessions, which last about six hours for her, Lanzon keeps a notebook of comments from her medical team, side effects she\u2019s developed in response to the drugs, and how she\u2019s feeling at the moment.<\/p>\n Journaling has helped her process everything she\u2019s going through, including her emotions, which can range from grief and anger to exhaustion and hopefulness. \u201cIt allows me to be honest and say that this is really hard, but then learn and grow from it,\u201d she tells SELF. The practice has helped her stay optimistic and see what she values most in life\u2014her friends, family, husband, and care team. \u201cJournaling<\/a> allows me to be compassionate with myself and recognize the good that is still happening even in the midst of a heavy season,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Joe Faratzis<\/a>, a 34-year-old who was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer<\/a> in 2019, has undergone multiple treatments, including radiation, radiofrequency ablations on his liver, various surgeries, and 12 cycles of chemotherapy (with each infusion lasting six hours).<\/p>\n The thing that helped him get through the toughest days? Connecting with people going through similar experiences. He joined a couple of groups, including the Cancer Support Community Los Angeles<\/a>, where he was able to Zoom with others during infusions. Attending support groups during his treatments helped him tune his treatment out and focus on his new friends. \u201cHearing their stories made me feel less alone and gave me hope on even my hardest days,\u201d says Faratzis. To find a support group, you can ask your doc for recs or browse nonprofit orgs centered on your condition (say, the American Cancer Society<\/a>).<\/p>\n Mia Sandino<\/a>, 25, has had stage III osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, for over six years. During that time, she\u2019s undergone countless chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens (the treatments help the immune system fight cancer). She\u2019s also undergone 30 cryogenic lung ablations\u2014a procedure in which a radiologist uses a needle-like probe to freeze malignant tumors off the lungs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Bringing her mom to her appointments has been a game changer. \u201cI would not have been able to maintain my health and my sanity without her there,\u201d she says. Yes, there\u2019s the social support and comfort her mom provides, but she also brings humor and joy to the situation, Sandino notes. During her appointments, they follow \u201cairport rules,\u201d which simply means they let themselves eat and drink anything they want, wear their comfiest clothes, and watch horrible TV. \u201cWe are absolute goofballs who enjoy living under \u2018airport rules\u2019 in times of distress,\u201d says Sandino.<\/p>\n Rose Dasgupta<\/a>, 34, regularly gets bladder instillations to treat interstitial cystitis, a chronic condition that causes bladder pain. During the procedure, which lasts about 15 minutes, a solution of medications is inserted into their bladder via a catheter to reduce inflammation.<\/p>\n To pass the time, Rose often asks a close friend to tag along. Rose\u2019s friends have sung songs, held their hand, shared inside jokes, or simply talked about exciting plans they have coming up. \u201cIt helped me take my mind off of the physical sensations that were happening, even if they talked me through breathing,\u201d Dasgupta tells SELF.<\/p>\n Shirley Mu\u00f1oz<\/a>, 38, was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer, at 34. She\u2019s currently participating in a clinical trial that requires her to go for several blood draws every couple of weeks. To keep her spirits high during the sessions, she queues up K-pop radio. \u201cWhen I was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, listening to K-pop music became my therapy,\u201d says Mu\u00f1oz. Plus, the lyrics deeply resonate with her. \u201cK-pop idols often share messages of resilience and perseverance that remind me that I am not alone in my struggles,\u201d says Mu\u00f1oz.<\/p>\n Jennifer Lava<\/a>, a 40-year-old with stage IV colon cancer, recently made it through 25 rounds of radiation by bopping out to two playlists. The first was filled with songs from The Sound of Music<\/em>\u2014\u201cIt’s my favorite movie of all time and when I feel an anxiety or panic attack coming on, it helps me relax and feel a mixture of calming, home, and nostalgia,\u201d Lava tells SELF. Her second (which she dubbed \u201cFuck Carl\u201d after the name she gave her tumor, Carl<\/a>) is 25 hours long and crosses all genres, with songs designed to transport her to happy times. During appointments, she\u2019d often catch herself smiling and singing along. \u201cI would get lost in the memory and not have to feel or think about my reality for a little while,\u201d says Lava. One song that stands out is \u201cI Am Here\u201d by Pink<\/a>. She heard it in a spin class in 2019 soon after she recovered from her first surgery. The bop made her want to keep pedaling harder and faster even though she felt like her body hated her. \u201cSince then, I listen to it (often on repeat) when I need a pick-me-up or to get me energized when I feel like I\u2019m too tired for one more thing!\u201d she says.<\/p>\n For Christy Millar<\/a>, a 39-year-old with end-stage kidney disease (which is when the kidneys can no longer function on their own), having a catalog of movies and TV shows at the ready on her iPad is a must. That\u2019s because her kidneys can\u2019t filter waste from her blood, so she receives dialysis three times a week, with each session lasting four hours\u2014so she needs something that\u2019ll grab and keep her attention for long periods. \u201cIt makes the time go quicker, especially if it\u2019s something all-engrossing,\u201d says Millar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Her favorite genres? Action and fantasy. When she watches epic stories like Mission Impossible<\/em> and Lord of the Rings<\/em>, the sessions fly by. \u201cDialysis is exhausting and can cause blood pressure drops and nausea, so a good action film is a great distraction,\u201d Millar says. (Check out our list of comfort flicks to cozy up with<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Jessica Acosta<\/a>, a 30-year-old with stage III rectal cancer, tried meditation in the past, but the practice never clicked. When she became desperate to ease her anxiety, which was surging due to her diagnosis, she decided to give it another go. She browsed the meditation section in her Apple Fitness Plus app and stumbled upon one she really liked, called Meditation with Jessica<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n She tuned in to those guided meditations during the seven half-hour infusion treatments she received over six months. \u201cHer meditations had different themes, such as gratitude and resilience\u2014they helped me focus my energy to healthier and empowering thoughts,\u201d Acosta tells SELF. Meditation has since become a habit\u2014whenever she starts to worry about her recovery, Acosta finds herself meditating subconsciously. \u201cI’ve learned how to manage my anxiety through following these videos and developing the habit,\u201d she says. (Here\u2019s how to meditate if you haven\u2019t gotten into it yet, but really want to<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Haley Huchon<\/a>, 33, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a type of breast cancer that starts in the milk ducts and spreads to other tissue, in September 2024. Soon after she noticed a lump in her breast, she began posting videos to TikTok<\/a> documenting everything she was going through\u2014including her diagnosis<\/a>, biopsy<\/a>, and ongoing treatment procedures, which include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.<\/p>\n Her videos quickly caught on, and other women who had breast cancer started reaching out to her offering support and words of wisdom. The site has been monumental in allowing her to build a community with other people who\u2019ve had breast cancer. (Read how three people with chronic illnesses say the platform changed their lives<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Huchon says she couldn\u2019t have gotten this far without the support and connection of other people. \u201cMy what would be very vulnerable moments have become not only a time capsule of the true emotions of this roller coaster, but have captured so much support from so many women that have gone through the process themselves\u201d Huchon tells SELF.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re heading into chemo or dialysis\u2014or know someone who is\u2014any type of intense medical appointment is never a great<\/em> time. Just know that whatever treatment you\u2019re on is designed to make you feel better eventually. A little feel-good action plan will help keep you calm (and distracted) in the meantime.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong><\/p>\nBusiness Do a bit of journaling.<\/h2>\n
Business Tune into a live support group.<\/h2>\n
Business Bring a family member along.<\/h2>\n
Business Or recruit a good friend to join you.<\/h2>\n
Business Craft custom playlists for your treatments.<\/h2>\n
Business Cue up a gripping TV movie.<\/h2>\n
Business Ground yourself with a guided meditation.<\/h2>\n
Business Find a community on social media.<\/h2>\n
\n