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Coping With Breast Cancer Emotionally - Positively Pink

Learning you have breast cancer is a complicated thing to hear. The important thing to know is that this isn’t the end of your story. 85% survive this cancer.

FirstQuote Health Staff
Published on
October 4, 2018
Last Updated on
May 16, 2023
Coping With Breast Cancer Emotionally - Positively Pink

It’s a tough pill to swallow. You’ve just been diagnosed with cancer and you have to move forward with next steps. This can be a scary journey, but this moment is very critical in your progress. It’s important to know you’re not alone. As we enter breast cancer awareness month, you will find a lot of resources along with people standing with you in the battle.

According to statistics taken by breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of a lifetime. Maintaining positivity at this time can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. There are ways to make sure your happiness is not heavily impacted or demolished as you move forward with considering treatment.

How To Grasp The News You Have Breast Cancer

Your doctor tells you that you now have cancer. Your stomach drops, and for a moment, you stop breathing. It’s a complicated thing to hear. The important thing to know is that this isn’t the end of your story. The 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is 85% according to a study by Cancer Editorial Board. This is a high number. It is normal during this time to experience emotions relating to denial, shock, grief, and fear, but it’s important to take solace in the fact that the survival rate is high. You can survive.

The amount of breast cancer awareness information on the internet and in social circles have made the process of handling news of a diagnosis an easier pill to swallow then it was 30 years ago. Focusing on the positive rather than the negative could be the difference between you living a happy life after diagnosis or falling into a severe and dangerous state of depression.

It is quite common for people to experience depression after being diagnosed for illnesses that are either terminal or require heavy rounds of treatment or surgery. This does not have to be the case for you. Stay ahead of the curve by understanding and taking comfort in the fact that there is a strong chance you will survive in today’s medical industry. Maintaining hope is paramount.

Coping With The Emotional Impact On Your Life

The most complicated thing most patients experience after being diagnosed with breast cancer is the emotional burden of having to tell loved ones. This is not easy at all and may require a lot of strength. Over the next few years, you will be facing the biggest battle of your life and you will need that strength to carry you through. During this time, try to redefine your definition of happiness. Understand that happiness is not circumstantial and only you can define what it means to you and how you can experience it.

At this time, it’s very important to understand that you are in control of your internal and emotional wellness and this emotional wellness is contagious. The process of letting loved ones know about your diagnosis becomes much easier if you are working to maintain your emotional health. When you are feeling hopeful, this positivity can permeate through you and put your loved ones at ease.

Learn To Deal With Uncertainty While Maintaining Hope

On this journey, even with the high amounts of breast cancer awareness available, there will always be a sense of uncertainty. Treatment processes are not one-size-fits-all and there are a number of uncontrollable variables as well. Because of this, hope and positivity will become your best friends throughout this process.

The best thing to do is to keep in mind that while breast cancer is a common diagnosis in America, the 85% survival rate is an astounding piece of hope that doesn’t come with a lot of cancerous ailments. If you are a religious or spiritual person, now is a great time to lean into those spiritual believes you value in tandem with the understanding that you do have a high chance of surviving.

Start Adopting Healthy Behaviors

When our health has been compromised emotionally and physically, it’s important to give those areas of your life a little extra attention. Health and strength run parallel with each other and it’s important to maintain your strength so you can prepare yourself for the upcoming fight. Not only does this include diet and exercise, but the most critical part is protecting your mental health and the integrity of your emotional stability.

Surrounding yourself with a breast cancer community people who are trying to encourage each other through illness is a great way to build emotional momentum and eliminate feelings of isolation that may cause depression. A wealth of information can be found on breast cancer blogs for maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout your journey.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

As emphasized earlier, although the diagnosis can be startling, it is not the end of your story. It’s more of the beginning of a new chapter. The way you live now and the way you fight are essential components to the formation of life after your illness. Taking the time to care for yourself mentally and physically, building relationships with others in the breast cancer community, reading up on breast cancer blogs, and maintaining spiritual guidance are important building blocks for living beyond breast cancer.

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