20 August 2025
A diagnosis of prostate cancer can have a significant impact on all aspects your life. Dealing with diagnosis, treatment and practical concerns can elicit strong emotions, including fear, anxiety, sadness and confusion, for yourself, and also those around you.
These feelings are a natural response to a diagnosis and may change over time depending on the challenges faced. There are many different ways of navigating the challenges that can arise.
Here are some practical coping tools that you may like to consider:
Seek social support: Connect with the people in your life who are trusted sources of support. You may like to consider what would be most helpful, whether it’s to ask for some practical help, to talk about your concerns, or to relax through social time together. If you are unable to identify someone suitable, PCFA has other support options you can consider.
This includes a service called MatesCONNECT which is a telephone-based support service where a man can talk one-on-one with another man who has been through a similar experience. Find out more here.
Join a Support Group for peer support: Peer support involves speaking with others who have also been diagnosed with prostate cancer. This can help by reducing feelings of isolation through a shared understanding of the challenges faced. PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Support Groups bring together men, their partners and families at various locations throughout Australia. Find out more here.
If you can’t make it to a Support Group, you can also join PCFA’s Online Community to connect with other men virtually. Join the conversation here.
Seek professional support: Sometimes worries can start to affect day-to-day life. If your feelings are interfering with the things that matter to you, like work, everyday tasks and relationships, we recommend talking with a healthcare professional.
PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Counselling Service is available, free of charge, for men and their partners to help with the emotional impacts of the disease.
In addition, your general practitioner can also be a helpful starting point to discuss your feelings and support options. You can ask your GP about referring to a psychologist through a Mental Health Treatment Plan to assist with some of the costs of the psychology sessions.
Prioritise wellbeing: When under stress, we often tend to drop the things we usually do to stay healthy, such as eating well, exercising and staying socially connected. Try to maintain your usual activities as best you can, particularly your exercise routine. Exercise has a multitude of benefits such as regulating stress, improving sleep, boosting mood, and enhancing coping with cancer treatment, side effects and recovery. If exercise is new for you, speak with your health care professionals about starting some gentle walking or stretching.
For further information, talk to a PCFA nurse via 1800 22 00 99. We’re here to help and available Monday to Friday.
You can also check out useful information on our Prostate Cancer Toolkit: www.prostate.org.au/treatments-side-effects/side-effects/mental-health/
If you need urgent support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36.
