It’s pretty likely that every one of your relationships has been affected in some way by your cancer experience.
After everything you’ve been through, your role in your family, group of friends or relationships is going to be different. You have changed – and so of course your relationships with others have changed. You might feel more mature and stronger than before and think different things are important now.
Many families expect everything to return to normal (however they define that) when your treatment ends. But be prepared – you, and your family, may have changed permanently.
You may feel disconnected from your old friends and that you can’t relate to them as much anymore. Maybe you feel like you have been forced to grow up faster than them and now feel more mature. Or maybe you have missed out on a lot of opportunities to socialise with people your age and you feel like your friends have moved on and left you behind.
If you have a partner/boyfriend/girlfriend who has been with you during your cancer experience your relationship has probably changed (for better or worse).
You may have dealt with some struggles and not communicated as well as you did before cancer. You might find that your attitude to things and your outlook on life has changed and this can affect your relationship.
But some couples find that going through something like this together strengthens their relationship and reinforces their closeness and commitment to each other.
Due to cancer, you may be dealing with changes in your appearance, body image and sexuality. Talk to your partner/boyfriend/girlfriend about how you’re feeling so they know what’s going on in your head and can support you.
Read more about sex after cancer.
If you’re having ongoing issues with body image or sex that are affecting your relationship, talk to someone in your YCS team or a counsellor.
If you’re single, you may be stressing out about how to start meeting people again and when to tell them about your cancer.
Cancer may have affected your confidence, self-esteem and appearance. Some people worry that they are less attractive and will find it difficult to form new relationships. Many wonder whether – and how – they will tell future partners about their cancer, particularly if their fertility has been affected.
Read more about sex after cancer.