There may be times during your illness when you want to be left alone to sort out your thoughts and feelings. This can be hard for your family and friends, who want to share this difficult time with you. It is important to let your family know that while you do not feel like talking about your illness at the moment, you will talk to them about it when you are ready.
Sometimes depression can also stop you wanting to talk. If this is the case, it is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor who may prescribe a course of anti-depressant drugs to alleviate this. Your doctor may also decide to refer you to a doctor who specialises in the emotional problems of cancer patients. It is quite common for patients with cancer to feel depressed, so there is no need to feel you are not coping.
