How to cope with a diagnosis of breast cancer?

Diagnosis«breast cancer» shocking and frightening. Don’t be shy about your emotions, because this is a natural human reaction.
According to statistics, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), there are currently more than 3.5 million women cancer survivors in the United States. In 2020 alone, 276,480 new confirmed cases of tumor disease were reported.

The news of cancer of any stage has a strong emotional impact on a person. According to medical psychologists Kathleen Ashton and Jennifer Hughes, such a message “changes everything about the perception of life and death.” A woman needs time to “digest” and accept this news. There is a fear of the unknown, anxiety about the future. Even if the prognosis is good, you will still have to undergo surgery, chemotherapy and other procedures that are quite difficult for the body.

Fortunately, many women, due to their natural flexibility, are able to cope with their feelings and accept the diagnosis. We list five steps that will help you more easily cope with a terrible diagnosis and overcome sadness, despondency and anxiety.

Knowledge is power. Therefore, the very first step is to obtain information about your condition: the type of cancer, stages, effective and recommended treatment methods. This is necessary so that you quickly go through the so-called stages of denial-acceptance and prepare yourself for the fight.

But first, make sure that the source of your information is trustworthy. Contact your oncologist for advice on what to read or where to look for the necessary information. But don't focus on it, but set a time frame for yourself.

In general, most cancer centers try to treat people as quickly as possible. In any case, therapy will last at least 2 weeks. Use your time well - get to know the surgeon, oncologist, anesthesiologist and other specialists. You will be able to discuss the treatment process and receive more detailed information about the progress of treatment first hand. This simple technique will help reduce anxiety and cope with panic.

Your family and friends can be your support system, that's for sure. But try to look for those who have already overcome the disease or are in remission. Chat with them and ask them to share their experience. The disease seems to isolate a woman from others, especially if they ask uncomfortable questions. But the opportunity to talk and share your fears with people who have been in such a situation has a beneficial effect on the patient’s emotional state. Understand the most important thing - you are not alone. Ask loved ones for support, various services, etc.

According to medical psychologist K. Ashton, meditation, exercise and sleep are the very healthy habits that will help relieve stress and facilitate treatment procedures.

In fact, research shows that patients who learn how to cope with stress report rapid and sustained improvements in their condition. According to a study published in the journal Cancer in December 2018, women who received resilience training were much less likely to return to the hospital for re-diagnosis. And survival rates after 11 years were much higher than those of those groups that did not receive stress resistance training.

Try to stick to your daily routine as much as possible. Keep working if you can, and spend more time with family and friends. Maintain a normal life, do not dwell on thoughts of illness. The treatment will take place in several stages, so take care of your own psychological comfort and try not to think about what will happen in 3-6 months.

There is nothing complicated or extraordinary in our advice. Learn to deal with stress and go to a clinic for treatment Onco Care Clinic 308. Our specialists will answer all your questions. Call by phone 8 (499) 322-23-08.