THE OTHER SIDE OF BREAST CANCER: LOST OF SELF-ESTEEM AND HOW TO GET IT BACK.

 THE OTHER SIDE OF BREAST CANCER: LOST OF SELF-ESTEEM AND HOW TO GET IT BACK. 

Facing a cancer situation can be really tough, especially after the chemotherapy treatment, which affects the patient physically, and also psychologically which is “the other side”. Copying with the different backlash that cancer creates in people is giant, before, during and after, and one of them is self-esteem. In this article we find out how to get it back. 

Breast cancer is a disease that affects 132 people out of 100.000 citizens per year in Spain and the probability of developing breast cancer is 1 out of 8. However, it is a disease that can also affect men, even though it is more frequent in females. Physically, people with breast cancer might face pain during their treatment with chemotherapy, weight loss, fatigue, hair loss, nausea, and other disorders. However, it affects other parts of women as a whole. 

“After cancer I feel a totally different person, I feel like I have aged 50 years. I am not the same strong, active woman I used to be” Marta López, who won the cancer fight testimony. 

HOW DOES CANCER AFFECT WOMEN? 

First of all from a biological point of view, breast cancer can affect their female identity, due to the fact that breasts constitute an important part of women as a female gender, culturally. Is highly related to sexuality and how women appeal to men, because of the pleasure that creates. On the other hand, breasts are also related to maternity, and breast cancer can be related to the inability to feed their own babies. In western societies, physical image plays an important role for their self-esteem and personal identity, which can definitely affect the value women give to themselves. 

Socially can affect the way cancer patients interact with people. They might tend to not socialize as much as they used to do before, isolating themselves, especially when facing the first stages. They feel scared of hurting or affecting their beloved ones and also scared of being left out, without support in the tough times. 

From a psychological point of view, as I mentioned before, cancer hits hard on people's self-esteem. People, women specifically, sometimes can feel ashamed of their health condition, related to the absence of one breast, scars, weight loss, leading to difficulties at the time of mantaining sexual relations with their partners, or just even socializing with friends and family. However, it does not only affect people in front of “other” people. It also affects personally, seeing a weak body, destroyed after chemo treatment that they have gone through. Some of the physical consecuences are related to how they see their body altered, different, in specific the assymetry because one breast might be missing, which leads to a feeling of failure, creating distance especially from sexual relations, because they don’t feel as attractive as they used to feel before. There are a lot of topics that can be affected because of this situation. But not only the absence of breasts, also the body image itself can cause consequences. Like for example hair loss, which can create depression, shame, guilt and fear.

Like I have mentioned until here, the psychological consequences from cancer can be devastating, creating big negative emotions and feelings, which can make it difficult during cancer treatment. Is definitely not easy, but with the right tools, people can beat cancer and feel victory in their hands, with no shame, guilt or fear. 

And in order to make this happen it is important to recognize the weaknesses a person has related to this issue, because it can be different for everyone. Some women might feel scared of not being able to have kids, another might feel insecure about their own bodies, and other ones might feel alone and without support in this fight. From here start to make changes through. 

TIPS TO FACE CANCER IN A MORE HEALTHY WAY 

-Being aware of the situation, getting informed by professionals about everything related to how the process will be, the secondary effects, the difficulties. But also about the solutions to the problems. Accept them and try to remain as positive as possible. 

- Improve communication with your beloved ones. Express feelings in order to get all the support they need from their couple, family and friends. 

- Get into a support group, listen to people’s experiences and share yours. This will get to know other people’s experiences that are in their same situation, giving them support and a feeling that you are not alone 

- Go to a psychologist, who would help them to face this situation with the right treatment, in a more effective way. 

- Be grateful, do not lose hope. 

All these tips can help people to cope with their negative thoughts, emotions and feelings in a more healthy way. Supported by their family and friends in order to win this fight against cancer. Nevertheless, there is another powerful thing that people can do for themselves, and is SELF-CARE.

Self-care is key. Self-care gives people the opportunity to have a better quality of life, by creating a better relationship with themselves and of coyrse with others. Through self-care people can meet their needs, feel compasion about their situation and feel love for their own body, against this daily fight that is cancer. On the other hand, self-care will help them recover self-esteem and feel better with themselves. 

SELF-CARE TIPS 

- Eat healthy 

- Exercise your body (is demonstrated that can help beat cancer) 

- Be grateful fot the things you have 

- Do activities you enjoy the most 

- Take a day off in a spa, get some massages. It can make you feel renovated. 

Apart from these wonderful tips we have mentioned before. We totally encourage people to make some changes related to their physical appeareance that would make them feel a little bit better with themselves again like for example 

- Get a wig, with the type of hair that you had before or the one that you’ve always wanted to have. Why not? Is never too late 

- Micropigmentation, this is the future. People can get their nipples back if they want. 

- Visit a beauty specialist, to get help about skin care routine.

There are a lot of services avaiable now for people, not only for people who have cancer, but for everyone who would like to feel better themselves. It will not defeat cancer, but can make peoplehave a better day, improve their self-esteem, and give people enthusiasm to keep fighting until the end.