After Ann finished treatment for breast cancer, she was struck by a wave of anxiety and grief as the impact of her diagnosis hit. She tells us about how time became distorted, affecting her ability to look ahead, and how mindfulness helped her overcome these feelings.
Two years ago I had finished my treatment for grade 2, stage 3 triple negative breast cancer and was looking forward to a relaxing family holiday on the Kent coast with my husband and daughter.
Though I had been warned about the common experience of feeling low after the grinding intensity of the treatment period had ended, I was still unprepared for the all-consuming feelings of grief and anxiety that flooded in once I was in a position to finally relax.
My brain went into survival mode
In these moments the past, present and future have a different weight and balance. They take on new roles, and play different parts in life. When the past is painful and traumatic and the future is frightening and uncertain, the brain goes into survival mode and often wants to keep us in the present.