The Importance of Social Connectedness In Your Cancer Journey

Posted: January 13, 2025

A cancer diagnosis and the treatment that follows can be an isolating experience. Even if you have a large support system, the news of a new cancer diagnosis can unexpectedly change the dynamics of your relationships as you, and the people around you, adjust to life with cancer.

No matter where you are on a cancer journey it is common to wrestle with the urge to withdraw from others or to feel misunderstood by loved ones. Stress from managing the complex world of oncology, appointments, treatments, side effects, and medications, can feel even more disorienting when you are simultaneously dealing with the grief, sadness, and fear that accompany the diagnosis itself. You may even feel guilty, as if the toll of your diagnosis causes more stress on your friends and family. However, social support is vital,and could be the foundation needed to help you thrive in the face of your cancer diagnosis.

Social Connection and Your Mental Health

Regardless of whether or not you are living with cancer, connecting with others has a significant impact on your mental health. Social connection can:

Reduce stress and anxiety – Sharing worries and fears about cancer with those you trust can alleviate stress and help you cope with the unknown.
Improve mood – Time with friends and loved ones boosts mood and promotes a positive outlook for the future. Friends and family have a special way of bringing a smile and a laugh when you need it most.
Increase resilience – When you have strong relationships it becomes easier to cope with challenges you encounter during treatment. It is easier to bounce back when you’ve got someone to catch you.
Improve coping mechanisms – Your social network can help you develop tools to manage stress and grief, especially when you connect with others that have been through similar experiences.
Improve responses to treatment: studies have shown that a trusted and open relationship with your cancer care team can have a significantly beneficial impact on your treatment success.

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Social connection is an important resource to help thrivers adapt to and find positive meaning in their cancer experience. Receiving support from family and friends increases calmness and comfort and makes living through the challenges of the cancer journey a little easier. You may discover that you feel connected to people in a new and different way. Remain open and curious about what kinds of people and types of interactions lead to improved feelings of clarity and comfort.

Ways to Keep Social Connections Strong

Schedule Consistent Check-ins with Friends

Set up a recurring get together with your closest friends and family. Next time a friend asks how they can help, tell them to set up a weekly visit or call. In our technologically advanced age you can set up a call with anyone around the world– whether in-person or virtually make connection a consistent part of your routine. Invite those conversations to include OR exclude health and cancer related topics. Be sure to set an expectation for flexibility and grace if you notice that you wish to have a shorter conversation and may be dealing with unexpected changes in your schedule due to treatment or side effects.

Set Aside Time for Things Outside the World of Cancer

It is common for your world to feel completely consumed by cancer and everything it entails. Medical appointments, wellness routines, your old life may as well have disappeared for the time during active treatment. That is why it is vital to take time with your loved ones and friends to do something completely unrelated to the cancer experience. Your social connections help you remember what makes you, YOU– before cancer butted in without invitation. Find some activities you can share with your friends and family to make new memories that aren’t happening in the doctor’s office.

Join a Support Group

There can be benefits of connecting with others who can relate to your season of life. Spending time with those who have been through, or are experiencing something similar to you, can help reduce feelings of isolation. Support groups also provide new avenues for identifying coping skills and developing strategies you can apply to your own life. Note: not all support groups are created equally. There are many different approaches to cancer support group offerings. Ask a trusted cancer care team member about the groups that might align with your interests.

Here are some trusted resources:

Cancer Support Community

Colorado Cancer Coalition – Colorado Events Calendar

Live By Living

CLIMB by Children’s TreeHouse Foundation

Undiagnosed Depression in Cancer Care

Cactus Cancer Society

First Descents

Talk to a Therapist About Your Cancer Journey

Therapists, specifically those that have experience and knowledge of the psycho-oncology field, are able to provide an important aspect of social connection for those living with cancer. In addition to being a supportive partner in your cancer journey, they can also help address issues you may have in regards to building social connectedness in your own life. Therapy encourages you to develop insights about your patterns of relating to the world and yourself, offers opportunities to challenge negative self-perceptions and to grow resilience and inner peace, which can aid your efforts to create meaningful social connections with those around you. Additionally, therapy can be a unique space to openly share the emotional and social complexities of a cancer experience without feeling judged and without having to be concerned for the well-being of the listener.

Psycho-Oncology in the Denver Area

At Shift Health Psychology, we specialize in therapy for those with cancer and chronic illnesses to help people connect to the tools that will help them adaptively adjust and thrive no matter where their health journey takes them. We will help you learn the best ways to stay connected with the people and things that matter most.

If you are ready to connect with therapy, reach out to Shift Health Psychology today.

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