09/11/2025
“How are you not reacting to this?”
A funny thing happens when news lands—good or bad. I often hear it first…and only feel it hours later. My brain files it away, and then the full weight arrives. That pause: compartmentalization.
It served me well in the ER. Moving from one patient to the next required presence and steadiness—a warm, compassionate smile whether I had just walked out of a trauma bay or delivered difficult news. In cancer care—whether you’re a patient or a caregiver—compartmentalization can be a powerful skill. It helps you handle what’s in front of you, reduce panic, and choose a wise next step instead of reacting from fear.
But there’s a line. When “I’ll process this later” becomes “I never process this,” the feeling doesn’t disappear—it waits. Then it spills out sideways: irritability with family, fogginess at work, sleepless nights, or a body that holds tension it never got to release.
The goal isn’t to stop compartmentalizing—it’s to use it skillfully.
What skillful compartmentalization looks like:
✅Containment, not avoidance.
✅Wise action, not numbness.
✅Integration, not repression. Make time later to name, feel, and move the emotion through.
When it becomes avoidance:
⚠️You never circle back to feel or reflect.
⚠️You’re chronically tense, snappy, or numb.
⚠️Sleep is off, or you’re scrolling to escape.
How to make sure the “boxed” feelings get processed:
1. Name it: “fear,” “relief,” “anger,” “grief.” Naming lowers alarm and builds clarity.
2. Schedule the return. Keep that appointment with yourself to “open the box”—write, walk, or talk with a trusted friend.
3. Do a micro body scan. Head to toe, notice where tension is living (jaw, chest, gut). Inhale for 4, exhale for 6; soften that spot on each out-breath.
4. Take one small step. List three questions for your doctor, plan an errand, prep tomorrow’s snack. Action calms the mind.
At Tokyo Cancer Clinic, we combine advanced cancer immunotherapies with lifestyle medicine to help patients thrive, not just survive. If you’d like to learn more, please reach out.
