Mesothelioma is a life-changing diagnosis, and its impact extends far beyond physical health.
People with this diagnosis can experience profound feelings of anxiety, distress, and depression, as can their families and caregivers. The important thing to understand is these feelings are normal, and by recognizing changes in mood and emotions, you can better manage your mental health.
At SWMW Law, we’ve built a reputation for litigating mesothelioma and asbestos exposure cases on behalf of clients across the country and are intimately aware of the turbulence and struggles victims and their families face. As a firm that prioritizes comprehensive support for mesothelioma victims, we also know how important it is to address and manage mental health after a diagnosis and the effective means for doing so.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, consider the following ways to manage your mental health:
- Educate yourself. Educating yourself about mesothelioma can help you understand the condition, treatment options, and what to expect. This can allow you to take an active role in your health care, engage in productive conversations with your doctor, and alleviate the fear and emotional strain that accompanies the unknown. The best ways to find information about mesothelioma are by speaking with your doctor and specialists and finding reliable, trusted resources. The mesothelioma information available on our website can provide a great starting point for learning about the condition and various resources.
- Start with self-screening. Thoughts and emotions can be overwhelming after receiving a diagnosis, which is why setting aside some time to reflect and identify what you’re feeling is a great place to start improving your mental health. One way to encourage this self-reflection is to take an online mental health screening, such as one provided by Mental Health America. These types of self-screening tools can also help in the event that you choose to talk to a professional.
- Seek professional mental health care. Caring for your physical medical condition is important, but it’s no substitute for professional mental health care. As such, it’s important to prioritize your emotional well-being and seek help from professionals. This can include a trusted psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, social worker, or other care provider who specializes in grief, coping with medical conditions, and other struggles present in your life. These professionals have the training, insight, and resources to help when you need it most.
- Create a support system. Surrounding yourself with a system of support is one of the best ways to improve your mental health following a diagnosis. Support can come from a variety of sources, including medical specialists and treatment facilities, mental health experts, support groups, attorneys, and your family and friends. Engaging in conversations with people who care about you can help you work through emotional obstacles, avoid issues that stem from isolation and negative thought patterns, and provide insight that you may be unable to see on your own.
- Learn how others handle cancer diagnoses. It can be beneficial for people diagnosed with mesothelioma to learn about or interact with others in situations like their own, especially as research has shown that roughly one-third of people with cancer also experience mental health issues. Reading stories from other mesothelioma patients or people diagnosed with cancer, for example, can help you identify the emotions you’re experiencing and potential strategies for improving your outlook, clarity, and overall mental health. Interacting with others who’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma or cancer in support groups in person or online is also a great way to learn about the journey and how to share emotions with others who understand.
- Live in the present. Sometimes, there are few things more beneficial to one’s mental health than simply living in the present. While everyone has different ways to feel grounded and focused on the present moment, finding ways that work for you can help you avoid feelings of worry, dread, or distress about the future. For some, spirituality is helpful, while others find benefits in meditation and mindfulness practices, physical activity and exercise, sports, hobbies, journaling, and more. Whatever it is for you, learning to live in the present can pay dividends for your mental health.
5 Ways an Attorney Can Help After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Because exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, victims diagnosed with this disease may have grounds to seek compensation from companies that manufactured, produced, or otherwise exposed victims to this harmful mineral.
At SWMW Law, we specialize in handling mesothelioma cases nationwide and know that victims and families come to our firm amid deeply difficult and devastating times. It’s why we are passionate about providing exceptional support as they process their diagnoses and the legal firepower they need to fight for the compensation they deserve.
Our full-service approach to supporting clients means that we don’t handle their cases in a vacuum. We go the extra mile to ensure clients are treated with respect and compassion and to address needs that exist beyond the legal intricacies of their claims.
Choosing a team like ours has real benefits. For example, our attorneys can:
- Alleviate the legal work. At SWMW Law, we handle all the legal work on behalf of our clients. This ensures that claims are constructed in a complete and compelling manner and that our clients are positioned for success. It also frees clients from the hassles and stress of having to deal with the legal nuances of their claims and allows them to focus on their health, their families, and their futures.
- Ensure you understand the process and what to expect. Seeking justice and compensation through legal channels is an immense undertaking, especially when it comes after a devastating diagnosis. Knowing that it can be stressful to stare down an unfamiliar process with so much happening in one’s life, our team makes it a point to help clients understand their rights and options and to explain the process in clear and understandable terms. We provide proactive updates, answer questions and concerns, and take the necessary time to engage in discussions that allow clients to effectively define and manage their expectations.
- Provide step by step guidance. In addition to helping clients better understand the process of seeking compensation for mesothelioma, we also walk hand-in-hand with them through every step of the journey. This means keeping them regularly updated about the work we do, important deadlines, hearings, and the overall progress and trajectory of their claims. This level of support allows clients to take an active role in their cases and make informed decisions about important issues, all while having an experienced advocate nearby.
- Advocate for the outcome you deserve. Our attorneys take pride in our roles as advocates and our ability to leverage experience, insight, and resources to help clients pursue the best possible resolution.This means going above and beyond when helping clients prove the validity of their claims and the scope of their losses – including both the losses they’ve already incurred and any future losses they can reasonably expect because of their diagnoses.
- Connect you with valuable resources. At SWMW Law, we know clients diagnosed with mesothelioma have needs beyond their legal claims. As such, we’ve curated a network of trusted resources that are of benefit to victims and families, including information about specialists and clinical trials, treatment centers, and mental health resources.
Call For a FREE Consultation: (855) 744-1922
SWMW Law is a nationally recognized plaintiffs practice that’s recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for mesothelioma victims nationwide. Comprised of caring and compassionate lawyers, we’re dedicated to helping clients and their families navigate turbulent times and to providing the support and representation they need to seek justice and compensation.
If you have questions about your rights and legal options following a mesothelioma diagnosis, we’re here to help. Call (855) 744-1922 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.