A strong social support system is vital for both your mental and physical health following cancer. Your social support system will provide guidance, advice, and assistance; offer shoulders to cry on; and help relieve stress.
Whether your social support is a formal cancer support group, an informal group of friends or family, or a group that convenes around a shared interest, it will give you incentive to get out of the house and a way to form powerful connections. Even joining a bowling league has been found to provide physical as well as social and psychological benefits. Human beings are gregarious by nature, and being part of a group can have very positive effects.
There are a number of types of social support groups that you might consider seeking out when you are in remission. All have benefits, but not all will meet everyone's needs equally.
Spiritual Groups
Whether you find your spiritual calling through a religious group or a secular spiritual group, studies have demonstrated that prayer can facilitate healing. Others have shown that people who regularly attend church have better immune systems than those who do not. A study of patients with a religious background showed a lower diastolic blood pressure, fewer admissions to the hospital, less coronary vascular disease, and fewer complications in cardiac catheterizations than in the general population.
A deep belief in some higher power or cosmological force, whether it is the God of any denomination or the simple belief in human goodness and the capacity to love, can clearly be a factor in good health and rapid recovery. You must go outside yourself, see yourself in the context of the universe, and be able to love, care for, and give to yourself and others. This is one important path to physical health.
Even when the person being prayed for is unaware of it, prayer may make a difference. A double-blind randomized study on the effects of prayer on coronary care patients showed that the group being prayed for required fewer diuretics and antibiotics and less ventilator assistance than the control group.
Cancer Support Groups
Many cancer patients find a great deal of solace and help from cancer support groups. Groups come in many forms, from those available through the hospital where you received treatment to organizations like Gilda's Club to those that combine an interest or passion with cancer support. There are knitting and quilting groups for cancer patients and survivors, as well as biking, swimming, skiing, and surfing groups that provide a hobby with cancer support.
Other Support Groups
Many people who find that cancer support groups are not right for them, or who find that cancer groups feel less comfortable for them after they are in remission, still have a desire to create social connections. Joining a biking or running club, a knitting or quilting group, a master's swim team, or any number of clubs and groups that revolve around a shared interest can be a tremendous way to create community and find support.
Pets
In addition to friends and family, many patients find solace, support, and connections through their pets. Pets have been shown to lower blood pressure and provide emotional support. They motivate their owners to get up in the morning and provide incentive for them to get out of the house. Pets need to be fed, walked, played with, and comforted, which in turn provides their owners comfort.
Dogs, in particular, can be great inspiration for getting in shape, but they can also provide an entrance for social connections. There are a number of dog-related activities that can introduce you to people with a shared love of animals—even if it's just fellow walkers in your neighborhood or at the dog park.
Going High Tech
The Internet has become one of the greatest sources of information and support for those diagnosed with cancer. Website chat rooms can be a boon for patients who are seeking information and advice about both conventional and alternative treatments, as well as new trials for their particular type of cancer. Patients can connect and share insights with others who are facing the same cancer type and stage as they are.
The Internet can also be very beneficial for patients who live in rural areas and don't have access to a local cancer support or survivors' group.
For more information on managing your health post-treatment, check out After Cancer Care by Gerald M. Lemole, MD; Pallav K. Mehta, MD; and Dwight L. McKee, MD.
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