Great results can come about from working toward meaningful goals. Family members should set goals for the patient and encourage plans for the future. The low self-esteem confirmed by so many studies of cancer patients immediately begins to rise when they are encouraged to be selfish and express their anger. The reason it is so important for a cancer patient to develop a more fulfilling, less stressful emotional life is that chronic depression and stress depress the immune response. Drugs and therapies are probably not as effective against cancer as the specific antigens an individual's body can create.
Isolation increases depression and anxiety and can work against healing.
A recent study showed people who had pets or plants to care for recuperated faster than those who didn't. Living things that depend upon us for survival give us a purpose and a feeling of being needed. Make it a point to set aside time every day for your own pleasure. This can be anything from a sport or playing cards or talking on the phone or going to a movie. The important thing is to break your normal routine just for the sake of doing something that gives you pleasure.