James Van Der Beek On November 3, he announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at the age of 46. Now the actor is opening up about his health journey in hopes of raising awareness about a disease that is becoming more common in healthy adults under 55. .

“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk about this and the That’s why I’m being so open about it,” Van Der Beek, 47, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.

“I’ve been secretly dealing with this issue for a while, and I’ve found it helpful and comforting to share things publicly in the past,” says the actor, who lives with his wife on a ranch in Texas. his wife, Kimberly, Their children, 42 and under: Olivia (14), Joshua (12), Annabel (10), Emilia (8), Gwen (6) and Jeremiah (3).

“And I found a lot of support that way. But more than that, I really wanted to raise awareness.”

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 5 new colorectal cancer diagnoses are among people under the age of 55, up from 1 in 10 in 1995.

Van Der Beek says he had no reason to suspect he would face such a frightening diagnosis at this stage of his life. He had no family history of cancer and took care of his body through exercise and nutrition.

“I have always associated cancer with age and an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle. But I was in incredible cardiovascular shape. “I tried to eat healthy – or as I knew it at the time.”

However, in the summer of 2023, he noticed changes in his bowel movements. He assumed his diet was to blame.

“I thought maybe I should give up coffee,” he says. “Or you can leave out the cream in the coffee. But when I cut it out and it wasn’t getting better, I thought, ‘Well, I’d better get this checked.'”

He was not worried after the colonoscopy. “When I came out of the anesthesia I felt really good, I had finally made it,” he says. “Then the gastroenterologist, in his nicest bedside manner, told me it was cancer. I think I went into shock.”

Van Der Beek turned to treatments that often included surgery and chemotherapy. While he doesn’t want to share specific details about his medical regimen just yet, he says: “If you’ve heard of it, I’ve probably touched on it.”

“This has been a crash course in mastering the mind, body and spirit,” he explains. “I thought, ‘This will either get me out of the body or teach me how to really live in it.'”

While he tries to stay positive, he admits it can be difficult sometimes.

“The hardest thing is that there are so many unknowns about cancer,” he says. “’How can I fix this?’ you think. Does this heal me? Does this hurt? Does this work? Will he come back?’ “As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things.”

As for his current health, he doesn’t want to talk about his recovery or stages of recovery. But he says he feels fine.

“I’m a very cautious optimist. I’m in recovery, my energy levels are great. Once I’ve been completely out of the woods for what seems like a responsible amount of time, I’ll be back and let you know.

“I have a lot to live for,” he adds.

For more on James Van Der Beek’s cancer journey, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on stands Monday