Top of Mind
Practise Self-Care Putting yourself first is essential to your well-being and recovery. Madina Tabesh
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veryone who has dealt with cancer — whether it’s you or a loved one — should recognize the importance of mental health. Why does it matter so much? For Louise Bell, cancer survivor and Master of Psychology Student at the University of New Brunswick, support from loved ones, taking time for herself, and being in a good mental health space were essential in dealing with her cancer diagnosis. Taking care of your mental health is a critical aspect of any cancer journey. Too often when medical treatments become our central focus, mental health becomes an
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‘underrecognized’ need. We can forget that mental wellness plays a key role in improving our physical health. Louise expresses it perfectly: “If we are mentally well, then we have the capacity in ourselves to help work on our physical wellness. However, if we are not mentally well, we may not have the energy or capacity to push ourselves to do better physically.” So, how do we take care of our mental health? Self-care is the art of practising good health habits for ourselves. It looks different from person to person and no one formula will work for everyone. Self-care gives you more
opportunities to try and discover different options to see what works best for you. Maybe you find refuge in reading a good book. Or going for a walk. Or even binging a reality TV show that draws you in.
"Social support is one of the most important factors to navigating a cancer journey.”
