Scan anxiety is extremely common. It’s something that just about every cancer patient has, and it is a real struggle for people. As a cancer survivor myself it is something I think about often. In fact, it’s so common that it’s actually been given a name - “scanxiety.”
People experience scan anxiety throughout all stages of their journey with cancer. It can be before a scan (worrying about it leading up to the appointment), during a scan (anxiety and discomfort in the scanner itself), and afterward while waiting on results. While scans are of course important for measuring the progress of treatment and providing diagnoses, they are a point of stress for everyone.
As a cancer coach, this is something I talk about often with my clients. So today I wanted to share some tips for living with and managing your scan anxiety.

Tips for Managing Scan Anxiety Before Your Scan
The anxiety leading up to a scan is troublesome for most patients. Worrying about the outcome, what to expect if it’s something new, or worrying about the scan process itself and the discomfort of being in the machine is all so common. However, here are some things that can help:
Try to schedule your scan for a morning appointment, so you can get it out of the way early without worrying about it all day long.
Bring comfort items to your appointment, such as an eye mask and/or blanket, headphones to listen to music, or meditation apps on your phone/meditations on YouTube.
Bring a loved one or friend with you to the appointment if possible.
Practice breathing exercises in the waiting room and during the scan itself if allowed.
Make sure to let your tech know about your anxiety, especially if it pertains to being in the scanner itself.
Tips for Managing Scan Anxiety After Your Scan
The New York Times recently referenced a study that discovered that the anxiety patients experience waiting for test results is often equally as hard, if not harder, than receiving the unwanted diagnosis itself. Whether this is your experience or not, the anxiety is real. Here are some tips for dealing with it:
Create a plan with your providers and care team - Clarify when and how you will receive the results (by phone, email, patient portal, etc.). Then, discuss what the plan and next steps will be for each scenario of results. This allows your brain to process the potential outcomes and be more prepared for the different results. It also gives you more of a sense of control over the situation when you have a plan.
Keep busy while you are waiting for the results - Stay present over disassociating, however! Practice activities that help your brain stay engaged, such as starting a new hobby, reading a good book, light exercise if you are able, etc. If you opt to distract yourself with mindless things like scrolling social media or watching reruns of your favorite sitcom, your brain can find a way to continue worrying even while you are watching. So engaging distractions are much better for you in this case. You could even plan a little day trip or a quick overnight somewhere to give yourself something to focus on besides thinking about your results.
Be proactive - reach out to your care team if the results are taking longer than normal. Don’t worry about bothering them, they expect to and welcome hearing from their patients. Your mental health is what’s most important!
Most Importantly - Talk About It
Talking about your scan anxiety, or any anxiety for that matter, reduces the burden that you are carrying. It lightens the mental load and makes coping a lot more doable. So share your concerns with your providers and your care team because they can help you, and they can also direct you to additional resources.
Talking with a counselor is also extremely helpful in managing your scan anxiety. Whether you work with a cancer coach and counselor like myself, or another therapist, you will learn more coping mechanisms and techniques for living with this inevitable anxiety.
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