Overview
Between chemotherapy-related hair loss and breast surgery, it can be a challenge to keep a positive relationship with your body. Low self-esteem and mental health issues affect many women with breast cancer. You’re not alone in your search for self-love.
Here are eight tips to give yourself the love you deserve while living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
Other women with MBC can give you firsthand information about how their surgeries affected their self-esteem and body image. They can also give you tips on how they cope with it.
In a group setting, you’ll get a good sense of how every woman’s experience with breast cancer is different. But you’ll also get the reassurance that you’re all in this together.
In one study, women who attended group therapy with guided exercises reported significantly less distress about body appearance and stigma. They also reported improved quality of life compared with a control group who didn’t receive this intervention.
You can search for one of METAvivor’s Peer to Peer Support Groups here. The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network also maintains a list of support groups by location.
It’s not uncommon for people with MBC to feel depressed or anxious due to their diagnosis or as a side effect of treatment. But if your feelings of sadness don’t seem to go away and are causing you to lose interest in activities you used to enjoy or sleep more often than normal, it might be time to talk to your doctor.
An experienced professional, like a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist can help you work through your emotions. There are therapists trained to specifically work with women going through breast cancer treatment. You may also find counseling to be a good opportunity for personal growth during a period where your life feels upside down.
Don’t hesitate to bring up any body image concerns with your doctor. Your doctor might not bring up the topic of body image with you, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t express your concerns. A doctor can help you understand your options or refer you to a therapist who has experience talking with people with breast cancer.
Your partner may not fully understand what you’re going through, too. Opening up the lines of communication about your body image concerns with your partner may be crucial to your relationship, especially if you’re avoiding intimacy due to shame or embarrassment.
If you’re having trouble talking to your partner, consider attending couples counseling or sex therapy. Good communication helps rebuild trust in a relationship and improve intimacy.
If you’re not up for talking to someone else about your feelings just yet, you may find it helpful to write your thoughts down in a journal. You can always share them with your loved ones later when you’re more comfortable.
Try to increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and decrease your intake of saturated fats, sugar, and alcohol. Eating a healthy diet can improve your mood and overall energy levels.
If you feel up to it, adding some light physical activity can also create positive energy, release endorphins, and help you focus on something other than your diagnosis.
After a mastectomy, you have a few choices about what to do next. Some women find that reconstructive surgery improves their body image, but it’s not for everyone and not a decision that you should rush through.
There are several different types of breast reconstruction surgeries that can rebuild the breast. Talk to your doctor about what options are available to you. They may then refer you to a plastic surgeon. Laser surgery is also available to help minimize the appearance of scars.
Another option is to wear a breast prosthesis when you go out to give the appearance of breasts.
Every day, look into a mirror and tell yourself a positive thought out loud. This may seem simple, or even silly, but the act of saying and hearing good things about yourself can help train your mind to focus on the positive and leave behind the negative.
Try these 50 affirmations from the breast cancer blog Fabulous Boobies.
Mindfulness means staying present in the current moment and being aware and in control of your inner thoughts. Practicing mindfulness can help you better manage any negative emotions that inevitably arise in everyday life.
Mindfulness takes practice. Exercises such as meditation, deep breathing, tai chi, or yoga can teach you how to stay in control of your thoughts and stay present.
Practicing these types of activities on a regular basis can improve both your emotional and physical well-being. Over time, you may find it easier to push away thoughts of negativity about your body.
It’s important to recognize that with change comes a period of adjustment, and with loss comes grief before acceptance. But this won’t happen overnight.
Remember that what you’re feeling is normal. You’ll need time to create a new self-image for yourself. Set realistic goals, remind yourself of all you’ve been through, and pace yourself.
Accepting what you can’t change is a huge step toward fostering a positive body image, but it’s certainly not something that you’ll achieve overnight. Over time, and with patience and practice, you’ll adjust how you see yourself and no longer ruminate on those negative thoughts. Support groups and counseling can further help you explore your emotions and give you the tools you need to maintain a positive outlook.