Supporting a loved one through an illness, whether a spouse, a parent, or a friend, can be incredibly time-consuming or even just emotionally challenging. You might be worried about “saying the wrong thing” or you might feel powerless, unsure of what, if anything, you can do to help. Learn the tools you’ll need to help someone you care about through their illness.

Feel empowered to overcome medical anxiety before appointments or procedures with these 7 simple coping tools for medical anxiety

That moment when you receive a cancer diagnosis from your doctor, your whole world can stop. You might feel numb to the experience or feel like it’s not “real”. You find you just can’t stop thinking about the events of the diagnosis, how your body feels, or the uncertainty of your future.

Medical trauma can greatly impact your mental health, your relationships, and even your overall physical health. Whether you’ve just had surgery or you’ve long recovered from a childhood illness, memories of a stressful medical experience can stay with you.

Learn more about medical trauma and find more resources for burnout for healthcare professionals in some of my favorite podcasts

Chances are if you were to ask a family member or a friend whether or not they have ever worried about their health, the answer would be “yes”. However, for people with health anxiety, this worry begins to take over your life. If this anxiety intensifies or worsens, you might even have panic attacks.

You might feel tense or scared at even the thought of going to the dentist or you might push back or outright avoid important medical care because of your anxiety.