As the most common form of cancer affecting women around the
world, I’m sure all of us can think of at least one friend or relative who has
received the diagnosis, “You have breast cancer”. A breast cancer diagnosis can
lead to distress, fear, depression, and anxiety, specifically health anxiety.
Health anxiety is the excessive
fear and worry regarding one’s ill health, caused by a preoccupation with the
incorrect belief that one has, or is in danger of developing a serious disease
or medical condition. . The four dimensions of health anxiety are Affective
(the excess worry about illness and health), Cognitive (the belief that one is
ill despite others’ disbelief), Behavioral (seeking reassurance for perceived
health concerns), and Perceptual (the focus on bodily sensations). Past
research has shown that health anxiety increases among breast cancer patients
who lack positive social support and have negative interactions with the people
in their social network. An increase in health anxiety for women with breast
cancer may lead to constant body monitoring and the interpretation of any
symptoms as being cancer related, which produces a low quality of life,
increased disabilities, and psychological and physical impairment.
Many women in this situation are
simply looking for a friend to talk to, who can provide some support during a
rough time. However, unfortunately many women do not have a helpful social
network they can turn to. A study by Jones, Hadjistavropoulos, & Sherry
(2012) showed that, the availability of social support can actually become a
matter of life or death. Research has shown that women with breast cancer with
a higher amount of social connections have an increase in survival chances,
while the lack of a social support system is linked to a decreased immune
system and an increase in cancer progression. Some breast cancer patients feel
that social support is either not available to them, is inappropriate or
unhelpful (possibly involving criticism of the patient’s coping styles), people
are overly optimistic, or they are too protective. It is important for women to
have people they can talk to and express their concerns, worries, and fears
with. If a patient does not feel that she will be supported or sympathized
with, she will feel uncomfortable sharing her feelings, causing them to be
bottled up, leading to depression and anxiety.
The results found in the study by Jones,
Hadjistavropoulos, & Sherry (2012) clearly show that positive social
relationships and positive interactions between women with breast cancer and
the people in their social networks are necessary for successfully coping with
the disease and avoiding an increase in health anxiety. As a friend or family member of someone with breast cancer it is
necessary to remember the tough experience the breast cancer patient is going
through, and to try and be as sensitive as possible to their situation. In
addition, it is necessary for doctors to gain information on each patient’s
social network, including their attitudes, responses, and concerns. In this way
doctors can help the patient’s social networks deal with and respond to their
loved one’s fears, concerns, and emotions.
By considering the feelings of
women with breast cancer we can help them to feel better about themselves and
their social relationships. Providing more social support and positive
interactions for these women in our lives who are experiencing hardships will
help to decrease their possibility of depression and anxiety because they will
feel more comfortable expressing themselves and their experience. Based on the
information from this article about the support women with breast cancer need,
it is also plausible that people dealing with various other illnesses and
diseases will benefit from the information provided by this study.
By Julia Vogel
Jones, S.L., Hadjistavropoulos, H.D., &
Sherry, S.B. (2012). "Health anxiety in women with early-stage breast
cancer: What is the relationship to social support?". Canadian Journal of
Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement. Advance
online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0027526
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