Having surgery can be scary and it is perfectly normal to experience feelings of worry, anxiety, upset and to be emotional and tearful at times.
Having surgery can be a stressful experience, and feeling a range of emotions is perfectly normal. This may have a knock-on effect on other aspects of your life, including your ability to work, complete daily tasks, and manage responsibilities.
Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to help keep you strong and mentally prepared, improving your chances of a successful outcome. It helps to set reasonable expectations. Expecting too much too soon may lead to disappointment.
Speaking to your team and attending appointments such as Fit 4 Surgery can help to give you a sense of how long you might expect to be in hospital and how long recovery might take. It also helps to motivate yourself by setting some goals for what you would like to achieve when the surgery is all over. Having things to look forward to can help to keep you on track.
In preparing for surgery, people can often put their normal lives on hold. Try and maintain as much of your normal routine as possible, particularly the things you enjoy or that are relaxing for you. Surgery is a part of your life but does not have to take over your life.
Resist the urge to isolate yourself and shut people out, as supportive relationships are known to help people cope better. Similarly, when we feel anxious or overwhelmed, it can be easy to shut down and avoid difficult things (like preparing for surgery). This is understandable, but it may increase your anxiety in those last few days in the run-up to surgery when you should be taking care of yourself.
If you are likely to find being in hospital challenging, it can help to have some things that can soothe or comfort you. Keep it simple, as you won’t be able to bring much in. Pictures on a phone or something enjoyable to occupy your mind can be particularly useful.
There is plenty about going through a surgery that can feel out of your control, so do as much as you can to plan and prepare in advance to minimise the uncertainty in the run-up to your surgery. For instance, preparing meals in advance for when you get back home may reduce your anxiety.
Resources
- Talking therapies available through GP or local IAPT services (opens in a new tab).
- You can use the Hub of Hope (opens in a new tab) (opens in a new tab) to search for mental health charities in your local area, or find one that can help with a specific problem. It’s run by Chasing the Stigma, a national mental health charity.
- Preparing your mind before surgery - The Royal College of Anaesthetists (opens in a new tab)
- CUH Cancer Navigators