Medical Psychology – Cancer Services
Below are some ways of managing anxiety that you may find helpful during your time in hospital or waiting for treatment or scans.
Some of the suggestions may work for you and others may not. It may be an idea to try out ones that seem to stand out to you first. It can help to practice them over and over again and if they don’t quite work then try some of the other ones.
There are also websites and QR codes at the back of the leaflet that open up links to videos, which you may prefer.
Abdominal breathing exercise
- Sit in a comfortable, relaxed position.
- Focus your attention on your breathing. Do not try to change your breathing for the moment. Become aware of how fast or slow you are breathing.
- Place one hand on your upper chest, and one hand on your stomach just below your rib cage. Relax your shoulders and hands. As you breathe in, allow the stomach to rise, and as you breathe out, allow the stomach to flatten.
- Allow your breath to become regular.
- If any distractions, thoughts or worries come into your mind, allow them to come, then allow them to go, and bring your attention back to your breathing.
- When you are ready to end this exercise, take a few deeper breaths in and out.
Thoughts on a cloud visualisation exercise
- Sit in a relaxed position, close your eyes, and breathe gently, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Repeat this four times.
- Visualise a beautiful sky, with clouds floating away from you.
- Turn your attention towards your thoughts whatever they may be.
- When you are ready, take your first line of thought, and visualise putting it on a cloud and watch it there.
- Then watch the thought gently float away from you.
- Do the same with your second and third lines of thought and any others that remain.
- Notice that a clearing is made in your mind, restoring you to a sense of calm and clarity.
- Breathe…in through the nose and out through the mouth…in through the nose and out through the mouth.
- When you are ready, open your eyes.
Mindful observation
- Choose a natural object from within your immediate environment and focus on watching it for a minute or two. This could be a book, a plant, an item of furniture, a picture…
- Notice the thing you are looking at. Relax into watching for as long as your concentration allows.
- Look at this object as if you are seeing it for the first time ever.
- Visually explore every aspect of its formation and allow yourself to be caught up by it
- Allow yourself the time to look, watch and explore.
Square breathing technique?
- Breathe in for 4 seconds.
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Breathe out for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Repeat 4 times
5,4,3,2,1 senses exercise
- Name 5 things you can see in your environment – describe them in as much detail as you can.
- Name 4 things you can feel (“chair on my back”, “feet on floor”) – really try and describe to yourself how these things feel.
- Name 3 things you can hear right now (“fingers tapping on keyboard” or “radio”) – think about those sounds, identify the pitch and tone of those sounds.
- Name 2 things you can smell right now (or, 2 things you like the smell of) – describe to yourself what that smell is like
- Name 1 thing you can taste (or 1 thing you like the taste of)
Guided exercises for relaxation
South Tees Medical Psychology YouTube playlist on exercises for relaxation. Please visit: www.youtube.com
Alternatively, please scan the QR code
‘How Am I? toolkit
Psychological health exercise plan designed to train your emotional system and show you how to encourage improvements in emotional wellbeing. Please visit: www.southtees.nhs.uk
Alternatively, please scan the QR code
Contact us
If you require further information, please contact Medical Psychology – Cancer Services on:
Telephone: 01642 282708, Monday to Friday, 9am until 4pm
Email: [email protected]
Please go to www.southtees.nhs.net and search ‘Psychology and Therapy in Cancer Services’ for more information about psychosocial support for South Tees cancer patients.
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the patient experience department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print by emailing: [email protected]