After the treatment finishes then what? (Dr Peter Harvey)
21 Leaving work
For some of you, the decision about work will be to leave completely. Again, this may not be a realistic choice for some of you but for those of you for whom this is a real option it will need careful and thoughtful management.
We have already noted how much of our identity and life is tied up with work and leaving it for whatever reason can be a trying and challenging process. As before it is important to see this as a step towards something which will benefit you rather than as a failure of strength, courage, effort or will.
This is not to say that you need not go through a proper leaving process and acknowledge the real losses that giving up work may entail.
Retiring early on grounds of ill-health is undoubtedly different from retiring at the conventional retirement age - for one thing it is something that may have been forced on you and you may not feel ‘ready’. But you alone will know what is right for you and your future well-being, both physically and psychologically. Leaving work may be an investment you have to make for your future.
The Cancer Counselling Trust has now closed.
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