JustGotDiagnosed.com: Founded by Gary McClain -- Welcome to the site of Gary McClain
 Clarifying the role of positive thinking
It has been my experience that newly-diagnosed patients can benefit from a combination of optimism and realism as they cope with their diagnosis and make treatment decisions. What concerns me is when I see patients who insist that they have to 'think positive' to the extent that they also deny the other emotions that they may be experinecing -- anger, sadness, fear. Denial of feelings doesn't lead to a magical cure. Worse yet, insistence on positive thinking implies that individuals are responsible for making themselves sick, and thinking themselves better, which medical research doesn't support. However, talking with a mental health professional, getting support from family and friends, and seeking a greater purpose in life can certainly contribute to read more>> |
 Q: I was recently diagnosed with cancer, and I have this vague sense that I want to embrace some kind of spirituality in my life. But I am not sure what that is supposed to mean. How do I get started in exploring my spiritual side.
A: It is not at all uncommon to feel a sense of yearning for a greater spiritual connection when diagnosed with a medical condition. A medical diagnosis has a way of giving us a nudge toward making a connection with something greater than what we experience in the here and now. Clients tell me that read more >>  |
