The dictionary’s definition of stress is a situation “in which environmental demands, internal demands, or both, tax or exceed the adaptive resources of an individual, social system, or tissue system”. About a third of Americans describe their stress levels as extreme (and it is a term used all over the world, not just in America). But people only started using the term stress in mainstream language in the 1970s. And the vast majority of people consider it to be a bad thing.

Chronic stress is definitely not healthy.

People respond to acute stress in a couple of ways, though. If you are about to make a speech, for example, the extra adrenaline can either give you the energy and impetus to improve your performance, or it can send you into a flat spin and impair your ability to think coherently.

So, it is not really stress that is a bad thing or a good thing, but how you perceive it that makes it one or the other.

How does perception of stress affect your health?

Researchers in a fascinating study monitored the blood sugar levels of 3 groups of Type 2 diabetics for 90 minutes with access to only one clock. In one group, the clock ran slow, in one it was accurate, and in the other it ran fast. When the participants thought more time had passed than it actually had, their blood sugar levels were lower than in the group that thought less time had passed (1).

In a similar study, researchers inflicted ‘wounds’ on 3 groups of participants by using cupping, a technique that involves creating localised suction, which leaves bruising, to treat muscle tension and pain relief. The researchers showed them adjusted clocks, as in the study above. Those who thought that more time had passed healed more quickly than those who thought that less time had passed (2).

In a unique piece of research, researchers looked at the relationship between stress levels, whether they believed that their health was negatively affected, and their health and mortality. Those people who felt that their stress levels were high, and that high levels of stress had a negative effect on their health, had poorer health outcomes and were 43% more likely to die prematurely (3).

The impact of optimism on pain

In a systematic review that considered the results of 7 studies, the researchers showed that the more optimistic cancer patients were, the less pain they suffered. This was independent of the cause of the pain, which included surgery, pain from pressure caused by the tumour, and side effects of treatment (4).

How optimism and resilience affect quality of life

In a systematic review of 15 studies, with a total of 5,249 cancer patients, the patients who were more optimistic had a better quality of life, with better mental and physical health (5).

People who had surgery for oesophageal cancer had less severe symptoms if they were very optimistic, as well as functioning better emotionally and socially, and had a better quality of life than those were less optimistic (6).

Breast cancer patients also fared better if they were optimistic, with less anxiety and depression, and improved health-related quality of life (7).

Why optimism, resiliency and control are important

There are various ways to explain these studies’ results: pessimistic outlook, their level of resiliency, and the measure of control that they feel that they have over their health.

Those who have a pessimistic nature might take less care of themselves because they do not believe it will have an effect. So that outlook then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

People who have experienced some adversity in the past are more likely to feel that, if they could overcome it before, they can do so again. This makes them more resilient.

When people believe that they have no control over their health and that they are at the mercy of doctors, their outcomes are worse. Having a perception that you can control your health helps to reduce your stress and helps you recover more easily (3).

How can you improve your optimism, resiliency and control?

There are various ways that you can move away from a negative outlook and find a new perspective on life. See whether any of the ideas below resonate with you.

Practising gratitude is one. You might think that would be difficult when you are going through cancer treatment, but you might be thankful that your doctors and nurses are helping to make your journey easier. Your family and friends may offer their support. Start a gratitude journal and record at least 3 things each day that you are grateful for. It will help you focus on the positive things in your life.

Even when things are not going well, there are always upsides to every situation. I remember a young woman I met when I was having treatment who had been told her cancer was terminal. She seemed very upbeat, and I asked her how she coped. She told me she would never have to worry about her retirement savings running out. Becoming old and wrinkly, or developing osteoarthritis, were no longer concerns for her. And she kept finding extra reasons for it being a positive. I found her inspiring.

Surround yourself with optimistic people. Optimism is catching. It is hard to be pessimistic when you are around people who are upbeat.

Reduce your exposure to negatives, whether that be people, the news programs or social media. I would include Doctor Google in that. Knowing the statistics for your condition can be a real problem. If you have already done it and they are negative, remember that these are based on averages. And none of us is average. In my case, the statistics said I had a 25% chance of surviving treatment. I had no idea because I decided not to look. Bearing in mind the research, it may have affected my prognosis badly. Doctors will probably not like this, but take the same approach with their prognosis for you. They may think that they are helping to manage expectations, but you need to ensure that they are positive ones.

Make plans for something that you can look forward to. Anticipation is very often half the fun. It can certainly give you something good to focus on.

Find reasons to smile and laugh. Even if they are false smiles and laughs, your body will interpret it as happiness and increase the hormones that improve mood (8). So, watch funny videos, read jokes, or laugh with your friends. You can even find Laughter Clubs, both in person and online, where you can catch an infectious laugh from others.

Cognitive behavioural therapy can also be helpful in improving your emotional health and increasing your optimism levels. It is now available online, as well as face to face. It works by helping to reframe the thoughts that can lead to a pessimistic outlook.

The best way to develop a sense of control over your life is to empower yourself with the information that can help you overcome your difficulties. With cancer patients, that means learning as much as possible about anything that can help you live healthily, overcome the side effects of treatment, as well as what can help stop cancer starting or returning.

That was exactly why I wrote my book: to empower myself and others in the same situation. In it, you will find a wealth of information on healthy diet and lifestyle, as well as supplements and herbs that can help with side effects and also boost the power of cancer treatments. Click on the button below to find out where you can buy the book.

References

1. Park C, Pagnini F, Reece A, Phillips D, Langer E. Blood sugar level follows perceived time rather than actual time in people with type 2 diabetes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2016;113(29):8168-8170. doi:10.1073/pnas.1603444113

2. Aungle P, Langer E. Physical healing as a function of perceived time. Scientific Reports. 2023;13(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50009-3

3. Keller A, Litzelman K, Wisk LE, et al. Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. Health Psychology. 2012;31(5):677-684. doi:10.1037/a0026743

4. Forte AJ, Guliyeva G, McLeod H, et al. The impact of optimism on cancer-related and postsurgical cancer pain: A systematic review. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2022;63(2):e203-e211. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.09.008

5. Marton G, Monzani D, Vergani L, Pizzoli SF, Pravettoni G. “Optimism is a strategy for making a better future”: A Systematic Review on the Associations of Dispositional Optimism With Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients. European Psychologist. 2022;27(1):41-61. doi:10.1027/1016-9040/a000422

6. Liu Y, Pettersson E, Schandl A, Markar S, Johar A, Lagergren P. Higher dispositional optimism predicts better health-related quality of life after esophageal cancer surgery: A nationwide population-based longitudinal study. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2021;28(12):7196-7205. doi:10.1245/s10434-021-10026-w

7. Fasano J, Shao T, Huang H, Kessler AJ, Kolodka OP, Shapiro CL. Optimism and coping: Do they influence health outcomes in women with breast cancer? A systemic review and meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2020;183(3):495-501. doi:10.1007/s10549-020-05800-5

8. UWA. Psychology to grin about: The benefits of smiling and laughter. UWA Online. June 6, 2019. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://online.uwa.edu/news/benefits-of-smiling-and-laughter/.