Positive Focus Helps Women Face Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Breast cancer can pack an emotional punch along with its physical blow. Women with the disease commonly experience many stresses and upheavals in their lives as a result of their diagnosis. Staying mentally healthy can help women step up to the challenge of breast cancer.

Keeping a positive attitude is a key part of managing stress that accompanies breast cancer. Boost your confidence by learning about the disease and the success doctors have in treating it.

Developing and using a support network is another way to protect against too much stress. It’s important to talk with your partner, close friends, and health professionals about your concerns. Support groups or online bulletin boards for women with breast cancer can help, too.

Here are other steps to take:

• Accept events out of your control.
• Be assertive.
• Try writing about feelings.
• Use breathing exercises, meditation, and other relaxation techniques.
• Exercise regularly to improve health, mood, and self-esteem.
• Eat well-balanced meals.
• Get enough rest.

Too much stress also may lead to depression— another significant problem for women with breast cancer, according to a new study in the journal Cancer. If you experience depression, talk with your doctor.