Impact on mental health
Getting a breast cancer diagnosis is probably one of the hardest things for someone to go through. So many thoughts and emotions to process. The mental health of individuals going through these trying times should be of utmost importance. It is not uncommon for women to face depression symptoms, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and high levels of stress during breast cancer treatment, but there is support and you are not alone. There are things one can do to help lessen the impact of those negative mental health symptoms during a breast cancer diagnosis.
Exercise
A study done on a group of women in treatment, showed aerobic exercise and resistance training improved depressive symptoms and increased quality of life. Aerobic exercise is to increase the heart rate and works the larger muscles such as the leg muscles. The internet is full of different types of aerobic exercise examples such as swimming, walking, jogging, biking, hiking, dancing, jump rope, and many other activities. Resistance exercise is strength training, building muscle and it can be done at home, no gym required. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats are all strength training exercises. Always let your doctor know what activity you are doing.
Mindfulness and Yoga
Mindfulness is described as intentionally being in the present moment in a non-judgmental way. When coupled with yoga, this helps reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. Practicing mindfulness activities is also reported to help lower stress while also lowering cortisol levels, a known hormone that can cause cancer to progress in the body.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
While there is no approved complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat breast cancer itself, more and more people with breast cancer worldwide are seeking out CAM to help improve quality of life and lower stress while going through treatment.
Massage: Massage can help reduce all the major mental health symptoms observed with breast cancer patients from depression, anxiety, stress to anger and fear.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture can aid in reducing anxiety and in return, lowering stress.
Herbal and natural products: When it comes to herbal and natural products such as vitamins and supplements, there is literature out there that suggests B vitamins can help to support lowering stress levels, however, there are concerns some dietary supplements can have negative impacts or interact with chemotherapy, in turn potentially increasing stress. With that said, up to 60% of all cancer patients do not disclose supplement use to their doctor. It is urged that anyone in treatment for breast cancer or any cancer have that open and honest conversation with their doctor about using herbal products. This not only keeps the patient safe but will also help give science the much-needed data on whether these natural products help or not.
Support and counseling
Support can be found through family, friends, or local support groups. Check with your local hospital for support groups. Struggles coping with a breast cancer diagnosis can also find support through individual counseling. Many studies show improvements to depression symptoms and positive impacts in fatigue, diet, and willingness to exercise while in counseling. These sessions can now take place tele-visits or in-person.
Being involved in activities that help reduce negative mental health symptoms can have positive results not only for mental health improvement but also for improved quality of life and for overall well-being. Always talk to your medical treatment team when trying new things whether it is massage, change in diet or adding new exercises. These activities can feel foreign to anyone who is new to them but giving them a try could have promising implications for coping with treatment for breast cancer and strengthening the mind to not just survive breast cancer, but to come out the other side stronger and more resilient.
References:
1. Aydin M, Kose E, Odabas I, Meric Bingul B, Demirci D, Aydin Z. The Effect of Exercise on Life Quality and Depression Levels of Breast Cancer Patients. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2021 Mar 1;22(3):725-732. doi: 10.31557/APJCP.2021.22.3.725. PMID: 33773535; PMCID: PMC8286684.
2. Fortin J, Leblanc M, Elgbeili G, Cordova MJ, Marin MF, Brunet A. The mental health impacts of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis: A meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2021 Nov;125(11):1582-1592. doi: 10.1038/s41416-021-01542-3. Epub 2021 Sep 4. PMID: 34482373; PMCID: PMC8608836.
3. Gosain R, Gage-Bouchard E, Ambrosone C, Repasky E, Gandhi S. Stress reduction strategies in breast cancer: review of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic based strategies. Semin Immunopathol. 2020 Dec;42(6):719-734. doi: 10.1007/s00281-020-00815-y. Epub 2020 Sep 18. PMID: 32948909; PMCID: PMC7704484.
4. Liu W, Liu J, Ma L, Chen J. Effect of mindfulness yoga on anxiety and depression in early breast cancer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2022 Sep;148(9):2549-2560. doi: 10.1007/s00432-022-04167-y. Epub 2022 Jul 5. PMID: 35788727; PMCID: PMC9253261.
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