After being diagnosed with cancer, my husband had a variety of emotional reactions. Is this normal, or is he going crazy on top of having cancer?

31. After being diagnosed with cancer,
my husband had a variety of emotional
reactions. Is this normal, or is he going crazy
on top of having cancer?

Every individual’s reaction to cancer is just that—
individual. People have both negative and positive
reactions to adversity, including a diagnosis of cancer.
These reactions may include the following:

• Asking himself why he got cancer
• Feeling more isolated and alone
• Feeling vulnerable and/or less able to control aspects
of his life
• Being less able to concentrate
• Blaming himself for his diagnosis
• Viewing his body and himself differently
• Experiencing changes in relationships with family
members and friends
• Redefining life priorities
• Reevaluating spiritual beliefs

Common emotions felt by people who have been diagnosed
with cancer include uncertainty and fear of the
future, of pain, of loss, of death; anger, either diffuse
(general) or directed at particular situations or people;
guilt, for believing they are responsible for putting
their families through their diagnosis, and for “imposing”
on others for care and support; and love and gratitude
toward people close to them.

A cancer diagnosis often brings people closer to their
loved ones. Many patients tell us that they feel more
connected and that they love their families even more
than before their diagnosis as a result of reevaluating
life’s priorities. For many people, priorities change
after their diagnosis, allowing them to focus on spending
time with their significant others and on their love
for one another.