Coping with Breast Cancer

There is no right or wrong way to deal with breast cancer. It can bring on a range of emotions from guilt to denial to anxiety to fear. Women feel like they have lost control of their lives and are overwhelmed by all the decisions they have to make. According to the National Cancer Institute, some factors that influence coping include the stage of cancer, your age, your course of treatment, and your support system.

But there are some general coping tips. Follow the coping mechanism that works best for you.

• Reduce the stress of daily life by letting things go. You don’t have to do everything on your to-do list.

• Turn to a support group. You’ll meet people who are enduring the same experience as you. If a group support system isn’t your style, turn to a family member, friend, counselor or clergyman with whom you feel safe and to whom you can confide your thoughts and feelings.

• Treat yourself. Rent a movie you’ve always wanted to see, read a beach book that offers no intellectual stimulation, or take a long bubble bath.

• Don’t do everything yourself. If people offer to do things for you, don’t be afraid to take them up on it. Provide specifics about how they can help. Have a friend buy your groceries. Ask your mom to watch the kids after school. Let your sister drive you to a doctor’s appointment. It’s okay to get help on even the most routine of chores, errands and appointments.

• It’s okay to feel sorry for yourself. Give yourself time to cry if that’s how you deal with stressful and emotional situations. It’s completely normal to dwell on your diagnosis and/or surgery.

• Don’t waste time blaming yourself for your diagnosis. No one knows what causes breast cancer. It’s not your fault.

• Don’t be hard on yourself. People will understand if you don’t return phone calls or if you decline lunch or forget appointments.

• Don’t go nonstop all day long. Take time out for naps. Even a 15- or 20-minute snooze can improve your overall mood.

• Try to see the bright side of breast cancer: It can give you a renewed appreciation for life or help you rekindle old friendships or form new ones.

• It’s okay to ask for a hug! People will be more than happy to give one to you. It will make you feel better, even if it’s for a brief moment.