Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) psychological impact

These feelings and sensations are common when people experience something outside of the realm of their normal experience, like a diagnosis of a serious illness. The situation can feel threatening and people wonder whether they can cope. These thoughts and feelings can be so overwhelming that people become shocked or numb as a means of protecting themselves. Some people describe a sense of unreality.

Coping strategies:

• Time is needed for the information to sink in and to be ‘processed.’
• It can be helpful to talk things through with others and to express feelings. This helps people to make sense of their situation and to think about how they will cope.
• Having access to the right information at this time is important. It can be difficult to take everything in, so it can be useful to write down questions that need answering or clarifying by the healthcare team.
• ‘Grounding’ techniques can be useful. These are simply things people can do to bring their awareness to the reality of the present moment, in other words to feel less detached or unreal. You can find more information on grounding techniques at www.healthyplace.com