Tips to Help You Cope Psychologically with Breast Cancer Surgery

Coping with the loss of a breast or part of a breast due to cancer is a deeply personal and challenging experience. Whether you’ve lost a part or your entire breast(s), it’s normal to mourn that loss.

It’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to feel and that individuals have different strategies that help them to cope.

Here are some strategies that may help…

Emotional Support

1. Seek Professional Help: it is important to share your emotions and feelings. A therapist or counsellor specialised in oncology can provide a safe space to express your feelings and help you develop coping strategies. CANSA offers Telecounselling to cancer patients. This service is free, professional, cancer–related and available in 7 languages. Submit the online booking form to request your counselling session.
2. Support Groups: joining a support group, either in-person or online, can connect you with others who understand what you’re going through. Sharing experiences can be both comforting and empowering. View our face-to-face and WhatsApp support groups and submit the online form or join our Facebook Support Group for cancer patients and loved ones to become part of the CANSA support group community. You can also join groups like Look Good, Feel Better which offer programmes to help boost your self image.
3. Lean on Loved Ones: family and friends can provide emotional support. Don’t isolate yourself.
4. Mental and Emotional Well-being: journalling, drawing, or other forms of creative expression can help you process your feelings. Practices such as meditation, yoga, or deep-breathing can reduce stress and improve mental clarity.

Body Image and Self-Esteem

1. Positive Self-Talk: Remind yourself that your worth is not defined by your physical appearance. Focus on your strengths and achievements.
2. Professional Guidance: A counsellor can help you work through self / body image issues and rebuild self-esteem. Part of the healing process, however, is learning to feel comfortable – and even learning to love – your new body.
3. Fashion and Style: Experiment with clothing and accessories that make you feel comfortable and confident. Specialised stores offer bras and swimsuits designed for women who have had a mastectomy – contact Olivia Curlewis: ocurlewis@cansa.org.za (Gauteng, KZN, Limpopo, MP, NW) or Dorothy du Plooy: dduplooy@cansa.org.za (EC, FS, NC, WC) for more information.

Practical Adjustments

Strive to find a balanced way of dealing with the demands of daily life:

1. Daily Routines: Gradually ease back into your daily routines, allowing yourself time to adjust physically and emotionally.
2. Work and Hobbies: Engaging in meaningful activities or hobbies can provide a sense of normalcy and purpose.

Long-Term Strategies

1. Set Realistic Goals: Take small, achievable steps towards recovery and adjust your goals as needed.
2. Stay Informed: Educate yourself about your condition and recovery process. Knowledge can empower you and reduce feelings of helplessness.

Coping with Triggers

Here are a few reflective questions you can ask yourself, to enable you to process emotions after you were triggered by something:

1. What happened? – tell the story.
2. List the emotions you felt.
3. What are your thoughts about the situation?
4. What options or choices do you have?
5. What decision will you make, now that you have processed what happened?
6. Think of and write down 5 things that you are grateful for.

Remember, healing is a journey, and it’s okay to seek help along the way. Be kind to yourself and give yourself the time and space needed to heal both physically and emotionally.

Sources:

• Life after a Mastectomy
• A Practical Guide to Coping with Grief (COMPSYCH 2011)
• Coping with Grief and Loss

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