When Health Care Gets Personal

Since November, I’ve been in a perpetual state of anxiety. I check my Twitter feed ten times a day, and I receive phone notifications from CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, or the Huffington Post every two minutes. I thought I was managing the daily anxiety-causing onslaught of news until the health care debate started. It’s fair to say that no matter what side of the aisle you’re on, whether you think healthcare is a right or a privilege, we can agree that it’s important. If you’re like me and have a pre-existing condition (some studies estimate up to 50% of the population aged 18-64 do), or you’re in active healthcare treatment, the anxiety can be off-the-charts. And since the health care debate started, my anxiety has been off-the-charts.

I’m a six-year, stage three breast cancer survivor. I’ve had a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and I’m currently on hormone therapy. My healthcare is purchased through the MNSure exchange, and I pay $1700 a month for myself, my husband, and college-age daughter. My deductible is high, my prescription drug prices are climbing (many drugs are not covered at all), and I’ve had to change doctors and hospitals. But still, I cling to the coverage because it’s all I have between catastrophic illness and financial ruin.

My mind starts spiraling with unanswered questions:

• How much will my current monthly premium increase?
• Will there be a lifetime cap on insurance?
• What if I have a recurrence?
• If I have a recurrence, will I need to get divorced to protect my savings?
• What if I need to get my implants replaced or removed?

So, what can you do for your own self-care in the midst of the ongoing healthcare debate and political onslaught happening each day? Here are a few strategies I’m working on:

Limit your screen time and turn off notifications.

Each day, giveyourself 15-30 minutes to consume whatever news you like. Once your time is up, don’t allow yourself to extend it. If there’s a new war or natural disaster, then you’ll learn about it soon enough. Being present in your day-to-day of life can decrease your feeling of anxiety — the doom and gloom.

Focus on what you can control.

Donate time to your favorite political cause, volunteer at a non-profit, or write letters to your elected officials. Contribute to the solution by having your voice heard. Sometimes, by taking an active role and “doing something,” you can decrease the feeling of helplessness and reduce your anxiety.

Practice compassion.

Channel your anger and helplessness into compassion. When a person makes you mad or upsets you in any way, try to identify two or three things you have in common; we are all human. By finding what you have in common, you foster compassion. Kindness can be practiced.

Focus on the positive.

When you start thinking about all the negativity in the world, choose to stop it. Force yourself to think of three positive things in your life. This sounds simplistic, but if you do it enough, you can maybe train your mind to do it automatically.

Too much anxiety and negativity becomes a prison that hijacks your day-to-day life and limits your capacity for joy. You may not master these techniques 100% of the time, but if you practice serenity with the same vigor that you consume the news cycle, then you might find the inner peace necessary to deal with whatever storms lie ahead.