The end of the year can often bring the biggest celebrations with friends and family. The holiday season reminds us all to be grateful for what we have accomplished in the past year. Reflecting on the past year and the upcoming new year with loved ones can do a tremendous amount of good for physical and mental health. Expressing gratitude regularly can help reduce anxiety and depression, and even decrease blood pressure.
Social support from others has been proven to have beneficial effects on the body. Some of those benefits include adhering to a treatment plan, alleviating the effects of emotional distress, decreasing cardiovascular risks, and more. The caregivers who reduce your stress and ease your emotional burdens are a blessing, and this season is the best time to express your gratitude. After an eventful year, the ability to spend time with healthy loved ones is an excellent reason to be thankful.
Your Social Support Network
The loved ones you spend Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and other fall/winter holidays with are synonymous with your cancer social support network. A social support network consists of friends, family and peers who you feel comfortable talking with. For some patients, it can be beneficial to tap into the emotional support provided by a community of people who intimately understand the trials of cancer. This support network can be as casual or formal as you would like; the point is to decrease isolation and loneliness by providing stress relief.
In some cases, it may not be safe to spend the holidays with your support network in person. If you plan to gather with loved ones this holiday season, be sure to follow the recommended health guidelines from officials. Keep physical and social distancing measures in mind and keep your network healthy and safe.
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