Lung Cancer Stigma: Fighting the Blame Game

The stigma of living with lung cancer shows up in different ways:

• Smokers, even those who quit years ago, blame themselves for the disease.
• People who never smokedare ashamed of their diagnosis.
• People see lung cancer as aself-inflicted disease, possibly thinking, “Well, what did you expect?”

For some people, dealing with thestigma of lung cancer他们可能会因为担心医生会对他们进行评判而推迟接受治疗。有些人可能会接受较低质量的护理，认为他们没有权利抱怨，因为他们尽管知道吸烟的风险，但仍然吸烟。其他人可能会避免谈论这件事，因此会错过从其他人那里获得支持的机会。

It is important to remind yourself and other people that whilesmoking is a big risk factor, there are其他风险因素for lung cancer which we don’t have control over—for example, pollution, chemicals, and genetics.Allison DiBiaso, a social worker at Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, reminds people, “You only need to have lungs to develop lung cancer.” No one should feel embarrassed or ashamed of their diagnosis.

Instead of shying away fromdiscussions about your cancerbecause you are embarrassed, help educate your family and friends. Find out as much as you can about yourtype of lung cancerand share this information with your family and friends so they understand better.

Support groups, either in-person or online, give you the opportunity to talk to other people who are going through the same thing. Ask about support programs at the cancer center where you are being treated, or reach out to some of the national organizations, such asLung Cancer Alliance,LUNGevity，以及American Lung Association.

Keep communication with your treatment team open. Talk to them about your concerns, the lack of support you may feel from family and friends, and how the disease and treatment are affecting your life. Your treatment team, including social workers and counselors, can help you cope with the emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges.

Some people won’t understand.Some people will judge you. But those aren’t the people that you need around you. Look for those that are understanding and compassionate. Focus on those that offer you support and caring. When you surround yourself with supportive people, your cancer journey is a little easier.

如果你是a present or past smoker, remember you can’t change your past behavior, but you can change your present and future behavior. Make your treatment a priority. Take care of yourself. Be good to yourself. Forgive yourself and don’t let your guilt get in the way of receiving the best treatment you can find.

Becoming involved in an advocacy organization may help. If you have completed your treatment, consider being a mentor to新诊断者. Reach out to find out what you can do to help. Some national lung cancer advocacy organizations include:

• Lung Cancer Foundation
• Lung Cancer Alliance
• 龙格威基金会