I’m Frightened About Treatment, Side Effects or What My Body Will Go Through

Knowing that treatment is intended to help does not make it easy to face.

You may be frightened about surgery, medication, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, procedures, pain, fatigue or changes to your appearance. Sometimes the fear is less about one specific side effect and more about handing control of your body over to a treatment process you have never experienced before.

You do not have to choose between being grateful for treatment and being frightened of it. Both feelings can exist together.

Find out what applies to your treatment, not every possible treatment

General information can quickly become overwhelming because different illnesses and treatments have very different effects.

Ask your healthcare team what they expect in your particular case: what treatment involves, what commonly happens afterwards, what side effects need urgent attention, what can usually be managed and who you should contact if you are worried.

A long list of every possible side effect is not the same as understanding what is likely or relevant for you.

Tell the team what you are frightened of

Healthcare professionals cannot always tell which part of treatment is worrying you most.

If your fear is pain, needles, anaesthetic, sickness, hair loss, loss of mobility, sexual changes or something else, say so.

A specific fear may have a practical answer. Even where it cannot be removed completely, knowing what support or symptom management is available can make it feel less unknown.

Body changes can affect identity as well as health

Treatment can alter how you look, move, eat, sleep or function.

The emotional effect may be very different from the medical importance of the change. Something described clinically as a side effect may affect confidence, intimacy, independence or how recognisable you feel to yourself.

It is reasonable to talk about those concerns. They are part of living through treatment, not vanity or a distraction from getting well.

Let other people know what kind of support helps

Family and friends may become intensely protective before treatment.

Some people appreciate that. Others feel watched or treated as fragile.

Try to be specific: perhaps you want somebody at an appointment, practical help for a few days, messages without constant questions, or ordinary conversation that has nothing to do with illness.

Avoid predicting how you will cope

You may imagine that you will be unable to tolerate treatment or that every difficult day will prove you are not coping.

Take treatment in the stages your healthcare team gives you.

If something is difficult, tell them. Support can sometimes be adjusted as treatment progresses. You do not need to demonstrate toughness by staying silent about symptoms or distress.

Mental-health support can be part of getting through treatment

Talking therapies and counselling can help people cope with anxiety and difficult feelings around serious illness and treatment.

That support is not an alternative to medical treatment and does not determine the medical outcome. It can give you somewhere to say things you may find difficult to say to family, including fear, anger, frustration or uncertainty.

Last reviewed

6 September 2026

Important informationThis guide provides general information and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional healthcare advice. If you have questions about your illness, treatment, side effects or changes in your health, speak to your healthcare team or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.