Announcement of the disease, heavy treatments, bodily transformations, disruption of family and social relationships, anxiety about the future… Breast cancer sometimes has heavy psychological impacts. “About 40% of patients present with proven psychological disorders: anxiety or depression syndromes, or even difficulties in psychological adaptation. a metastatic relapse, informs Dr. Carole Bouleuc, doctor specializing in supportive care at the Institut Curie (Paris). “Psychological support is therefore fundamental support care,” says Dr. Bouleuc. Studies show that psychological support in breast cancer improves anxiety disorders and quality of life. (1)
When to get help from a psychologist?
“It is important to consult a psychologist if you feel that you will not be able to cope with the disease on your own and that the shock caused by the announcement of the disease has led to personal destabilization in you, or even a remission. in question of your life”, recommends the specialist. Similarly, it is important to consider psychological support if you have sleep disorders, a tendency to withdraw into yourself, a feeling of being cut off from others, misunderstood or even diffuse anxiety that cannot not be controlled…
These psychological consultations can take place when the cancer is announced or during the treatments but also… after the treatments. “It has been shown that there are more depressive syndromes and psychological destabilization during the period of the end of treatment for breast cancer“, informs Dr. Bouleuc. “This post-treatment trough period can be prevented if it was anticipated”, she indicates.
Who do I contact?
You can see a psychologist at the cancer center or a psychologist in town. “This city psychologist can be in contact with the psychologist of the cancer center”, specifies Dr. Carole Bouleuc. Corn these consultations have a cost and are not reimbursed by social security. Mutuals sometimes offer a package of a few psychological consultations. The support care networks provide free access to a course of free sessions for patients with cancer, as well as the departmental spaces of the League against cancer. “The territorial network of support care remains insufficient but it is starting to develop”, underlines Dr Bouleuc.
(1) Coutiño-Escamilla L, Piña-Pozas M, Tobías Garces A, Gamboa-Loira B, López-Carrillo L. Non-pharmacological therapies for depressive symptoms in breast cancer patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Breast. 2019
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