When it comes to breast cancer, as with many other illnesses, the impact goes beyond the physical effects. It can also lead to psychological effects, which is why a multidisciplinary approach to treatment is so important.
The World Health Organization notes that in 2020, 2.3 million women worldwide were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 685,000 died from the disease. By the end of that same year, 7.8 million women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous five years were still living, making it the most prevalent cancer worldwide.
A breast cancer diagnosis specifically has a significant psychological and emotional impact on women, notes Prof. Itzel Paulina Hernández Cortés, head of psychology at ABC Medical Center. This is because it brings with it a series of losses that can exceed a person’s coping resources, along with added fear, depression, anxiety, or other stress-related conditions.
All of this directly shapes how women, or men who develop this disease as well, experience it, which is why psychological support is so important, helping address both symptoms and the situations that arise along the way.
Every person’s experience is different, but at any stage related to a breast cancer diagnosis, from initial suspicion to cure, remission, or even ruling out the disease, it’s common for emotional effects to appear.
To recognize this, it helps to know the warning signs of psychological vulnerability. While everyone reacts differently, someone developing depression often experiences irritability, isolation, disinterest, loss of motivation, emotional withdrawal, or neglect of self-care.
Alongside anxiety, catastrophic thinking can also develop around an uncertain future, regarding health, treatment, and life itself, notes Prof. Hernández.
There are several therapeutic approaches, each with its own particular features and benefits:
- Individual approach: uses psychotherapy to help the person express their emotions, thoughts, and the changes they’re experiencing, which helps reduce stress and anxiety.
- Group approach: seen as a support network, this is valuable for patients, allowing them to share their experiences with others who’ve gone through similar situations, offering a new perspective on coping with the illness.
- Family approach: a breast cancer diagnosis doesn’t just affect the patient, it also changes family dynamics, and this type of therapy aims to help each family member cope with the diagnosis and treatment.
- Complementary approaches: various additional practices that help balance a person’s emotions, ranging from yoga to reading relevant information or even medication, to name a few examples.
At ABC Medical Center’s Cancer Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
