Who can you talk to?

Some people have a close circle of family and friends who can give them a lot of support, while others don’t have many people to support them.

Even with a supportive family and a wide circle of friends it can be difficult to talk about cancer at times. You may feel very isolated and that only people who’ve experienced cancer can understand how you’re feeling. How people react may also surprise you - some may disappoint you while others may be more supportive than you had expected.

The best person to talk to is probably whoever you usually talk to about important issues or difficult problems. This could be anyone - your partner, your closest friend, your mother, father, sister, brother or a religious leader. It may be somebody who is going through a similar experience. Often, people with cancer find it difficult to talk to close family or friends, and easier to speak to someone they don’t know. If this is your situation there are a number of groups, organisations and healthcare professionals that can help you.

Support helplines Back to top

You may find it helpful to contact an organisation that runs a telephone helpline service for people with cancer. These helpline services are often run by healthcare professionals. You can contact our cancer support specialists| for support and more information about other specialist helpline services.

Counselling Back to top

It can sometimes help to talk to a counsellor, especially if you feel very low and depressed. Counsellors are trained to listen and help people talk through their problems.

They won’t give advice or answers, but will help you find your own answers. Talking one-to-one with a trained counsellor can help you sort out your feelings and find ways of coping with them. This can be very helpful, particularly if you aren’t able to discuss your feelings and emotions with people close to you.

You may need to pay for counselling. GP practices and hospitals often have their own counsellors or can refer you to one. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy| can also give you details of counsellors in your area.

Support groups Back to top

Most areas of the UK have cancer support groups. These are usually led by people with cancer, sometimes with support from a healthcare professional. Other members of the group may be in a similar position to you. A group usually includes people with different types and stages of cancer. You may find this wider experience helps you see your own problems from a different perspective.

Our cancer support specialists can let you know about support groups in your area.

Some people find groups very helpful and form close relationships with other members. However, others get embarrassed or uncomfortable when talking about personal issues with strangers. If groups aren’t for you, don’t worry.

Online support Back to top

If you use the internet, you may want to join an online support group or chat room. There are a number of these groups and some are aimed at particular types of cancer, while others are more general. They’re easy to join and you can ‘talk’ to other people in real time. If you prefer, you can stay anonymous and just read other people’s emails or posts. These messages can be both uplifting and sad.

This can be very helpful, as you can find that other people have similar thoughts, emotions and experiences. It can make you feel less alone, and help you learn how to cope with your treatment and live with cancer. Online groups are easy to leave, without any need for personal contact or explanations.

Our online community| lets you talk to people in our chat rooms, blog your experiences, make friends and join support groups. You can share your own thoughts and feelings, and get support from others.