Table 1.

Recommendations for self-care in mental health for cancer patients.

Exhibited problem	What to do*
Anxiety	Use breathing techniques as the diaphragmatic breathing or any other of your preference to control some physical symptoms of anxiety (tachycardia, psychomotor agitation, shortness of breath, and accelerated breathing) (89).
	Try to separate the problems in two categories: the ones you can control and the ones that you cannot control. Focus on those problems which you have control over and search for strategies of problem resolution for them (90).
	Try to distract from news regarding COVID-19, restricting access to information (91).
Depressive mood	Try to listen to pleasant songs of your preference, which increase the feeling of pleasure and well-being (92).
	Do physical activities within your possibilities and reality of oncologic treatment: light walks, Yoga practice, and meditation (93).
	Keep in touch with friends and relatives even if it is a long distance. Remember that by talking to them, you do not necessarily need to speak about your treatment or the pandemic. Choose subjects that are convenient and bring you a feeling of joy (94).
Excessive Fear	Think about how experiences related to this feeling have brought you consequences, and try to identify triggers that bring you this sensation (95).
	Practice mindfulness techniques to focus on the here and now, without letting your thoughts regarding the future get in the way of the present moment (96).
	Determine which are your beliefs and thoughts related to fear, as for example: “I believe that my future is going to be horrible”; “I am not going to endure what will happen”; “I am certainly going to get contaminated by the coronavirus.” After determining them, search and discuss with other people logical answers to those feelings, taking into account the probability of them actually happening and measuring how many of them are truly based on facts and not only on sensations (97).
	Remember all the situations in which you felt fear and were able to overcome it, analyzing what was the outcome of that situation and the emotional consequences you had.
	Make a chart with two columns: on the first write down all your worries, and in the second one write possible solutions for each (97).
	Talk to friends and close people in order to think together of all possible solutions for the problems you listed. In case you cannot find solutions, think about the impact that this problem is going to generate and about what resources you and other people may have to cope with it (97).
Sleep problems	Do sleep hygiene, searching for factors that may be contributing to this problem, such as heavy eating at night, excess intake of caffeinated drinks, room with too much luminosity and noise, etc. Determine the factor and search for solutions (98).
	If before going to sleep you keep thinking about your problems and cannot disconnect, try to postpone your thoughts. Make a deal with yourself and say you will only worry about your problems on the next day, when you wake up. Do not try to not think about your problems because this is going to make it worse, and bring your focus to the problem. Due to this reason, only say that you will postpone your worry (97).

^*For more information, see the references below. In case of greater severity, consider referral to a health professional.