Introduction
A complicated and diverse interaction exists between patients’ mental health and breast cancer, involving many psychological, emotional, and social components. A breast cancer diagnosis can have a profound effect on a person’s mental health, resulting in a range of psychological issues that may compromise their general well-being. On the other hand, a person’s mental health can also affect how they experience breast cancer, including how well they can manage the disease’s effects on their lives and how well they cope with it and follow their treatment plan. Comprehending the complex relationship between mental health and breast cancer is essential to offering all-encompassing treatment and assistance to those with this challenging disease.
Impact of Breast Cancer on Mental Health
Patients diagnosed with breast cancer typically have an increased chance of experiencing psychological discomfort. Many psychological reactions, including dread, worry, and depression, are frequently brought on by a breast cancer diagnosis. The disease can ambush the patient’s lifestyle and psychology and bring about uncertainty about their prognosis, further affecting the victim’s quality of life.
Furthermore, someone might become disinterested in some things they used to do. For instance, a woman may choose not to give birth or not to breastfeed her children. This causes individuals to be anxious and even unrelenting, which prevents them from enjoying a happy marriage or family life.
Low Self-Esteem
Self-esteem and body image are thought to be additional psychological effects of breast cancer that patients may experience. Breast cancer patients may experience physical changes due to their therapies, including procedures such as mastectomy or lumpectomy. A person’s negative self-perception and mental pain can be exacerbated by changes in body image, which can also result in emotions of loss, low self-esteem, and anxiety over sexual attractiveness.
As a result, victims feel that they are treated differently from other individuals with good health. Thus, this contributes to the development of self-esteem, which influences self-care and emotional and spiritual well-being. In this situation, people might start doing things they had not been doing, such as getting involved in drug and substance misuse to relieve stress. Thus, monitoring these patients to improve their quality of life is essential.
Fear of Cancer Recurrence
Many breast cancer survivors continue to dread a cancer recurrence even after receiving adequate treatment, which can hurt their mental health. This worry may result in ongoing uneasiness, limiting their capacity to enjoy life and partake in past interests. Survivors of the disease believe that the disease may remerge, which makes them live with fear that affects their quality of life. The majority of these patients might not think that they are completely cured. As a result, they live with terror, which causes them to shun the majority of their previous way of life. Nonetheless, these individuals are typically prescribed a particular diet that restricts the kinds of food they can eat. They are, therefore, forced to adhere to the diets despite their fear of the illness returning.
Social Isolation
Social isolation is another way breast cancer patients’ mental illnesses may be impacted. Breast cancer patients may face social disengagement and isolation as a result of stigmatization or a lack of understanding from their social network. This seclusion can worsen loneliness and lead to a deterioration in mental health. As part of the treatment process, the patient is isolated, which affects their mentality by increasing stress and stigmatization.
The patient’s isolation may have a more substantial impact on their mental health since it increases the stigmatization of the condition and increases stress levels in the patient. These people need close friends and family to support them, live with them, and provide them with more company to prevent them. To ensure they stay away from these thoughts, which could result in suicide deaths, these people should, nevertheless, keep themselves occupied.
Financial Stress
Due to the high cost of treatment, financial stress is another typical side effect of breast cancer, as well as other cancers. Breast cancer patients’ mental health may be negatively impacted by the financial strain of their treatment, which can cause severe stress, especially for those who have undergone surgery in oncology. High treatment costs, a diminished capacity to work, and associated costs can put a heavy financial burden on a person, which can cause stress and anxiety about the future.
Some people affected by this type of cancer tend to have the financial means to cover the entire cost of treatment, as cancer care comes with a hefty price tag. This depends on the patient’s background. Chemotherapy is one treatment that could be costly. However, because of their experiences throughout the operations, people who have had cancer surgery may have mental illness. Furthermore, since few medical facilities treat cancer, one might need to travel a great distance in quest of care.
Influence of Mental State on Breast Cancer
One of the factors influencing patients with breast cancer is their treatment adherence. The efficacy of breast cancer treatment can be increased by improved treatment adherence and patient involvement, both facilitated by a happy mental state. Individuals who approach their therapy with a proactive mindset and strong optimism are likelier to adhere to medical instructions and lead healthy lifestyles.
Nonetheless, digital health monitoring techniques like telehealth can enhance the course of treatment and empowerment through phone messages to help those who are struggling to escape mental disorders. Developing an app enabling these patients to report any problems they may encounter while receiving therapy would be beneficial. If a patient has any questions regarding their health, the healthcare provider and patient can communicate via the app.
A more resilient and optimistic mindset can help improve the quality of life during and after breast cancer treatment. Positive-thinking patients frequently report enhanced social relationships, increased feelings of fulfillment and pleasure in their lives, and improved physical and mental health. Because stress can hurt one’s overall health, patients are advised to minimize it. To minimize the disease’s impact on a patient’s mental status, victims adopt safe mechanisms like the use of trained therapists.
Effective coping mechanisms, such as reaching out to others for support, using stress-reduction techniques, and keeping a clear sense of purpose, can help them better manage the psychological and physical effects of the illness. In addition, if they require assistance, they should consult their therapist. They must also attend counseling to accept their circumstances, as doing so improves their quality of life.
Integrative Care Approach
A comprehensive and integrative approach to care is necessary because of the complex interaction between mental health and breast cancer. A multidisciplinary team of social workers, psychologists, oncologists, and other medical specialists who can offer patients comprehensive assistance should be included in this strategy. The patients should also use their leisure time for productive activities, helping them avoid mental distress. Psychosocial support is one of the main elements of such a strategy. Providing patients with psychotherapy, support groups, and counseling to help them deal with the fear, worry, and emotional suffering associated with their diagnosis and course of treatment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, providing patients with complete care and support requires understanding the intricate interactions between breast cancer and their mental health and taking proactive measures to address these interactions. When it comes to handling the various psychological and emotional difficulties that frequently follow a breast cancer diagnosis, healthcare professionals can be pretty significant. It is feasible to enhance the general well-being and quality of life of those impacted by this challenging illness by taking a patient-centered, holistic approach. Focusing on the physical, psychological, and social elements of breast cancer care, this all-encompassing approach creates a supportive atmosphere that enables patients to live happy, purposeful lives long after their diagnosis.
Works Cited
Kim, Junhyoung, et al. “Leisure Time Physical Activity, Social Support, Health Perception, and Mental Health among Women with Breast Cancer.” Leisure Studies, vol. 40, no. 3, 2021, pp. 352-362
Sebri, Valeria, Stefano Triberti, and Gabriella Pravettoni. “Injured self: Autobiographical memory, self-concept, and mental health risk in breast cancer survivors.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 11, 2020, p. 607514. Web.
Singleton, A., et al. “A Text Message Intervention to Support Women’s Physical and Mental Health after Breast Cancer Treatments (EMPOWER-SMS): A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.” BMC Cancer, vol. 19, 2019, pp. 1-8. Web.