Anxiety and the blues after breast cancer: how common are they?
A number of myths exist concerning the psychological impact of breast cancer. Primary among these is the belief that women with breast cancer have greater emotional disability than individuals with other diseases or the population at large. While research has shown that women cope remarkably well with a diagnosis of breast cancer, an understanding of the key periods of anxiety and primary stressors is crucial to the overall psychological and medical management plan. While psychopharmacologic therapy may be indicated for women with breast cancer, it is rarely sufficient and should be combined with effective psychosocial interventions such as group therapy.
Rowland
J H
JH
Office of Cancer Survivorship, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences of the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.