Chemotherapy can cause significant changes in your life, so it helps to have a support system. While chemo is meant to treat cancer, it can also affect your health, instigate stress, disturb your daily routine, and upset personal relationships. It’s not uncommon to feel anxious or depressed during chemo.
Although it’s normal to experience these emotions, it can also be disheartening. Don’t keep your emotions inside—let them out. Getting support and connecting with others can give you a sense of community and help you cope with these unsettling feelings. If breast cancer is more of a personal battle for you, know that there are always places you can go to express your feelings. You don’t have to fight this alone.
Support can come from a number of sources, including the following:
- Doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. Members of your health care team can answer your questions about chemo as well as ease your anxieties about cancer treatment
- Counseling experts. There are a number of counseling professionals who can help you openly discuss and manage your emotions. Chemo can cause depression, sometimes leaving you feeling hopeless and hollow. Depression can be treated medically, so seek professional support if you feel you are depressed. A number of cancer centers have “psycho-oncology” programs with social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists who can help you cope during cancer treatment
- Cancer support groups. Cancer patients attend support groups to spread the word about cancer and cancer treatment, as well as share resources and words of advice. Many patients feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts with those at support groups than with anyone else. It’s often easier to relate to group members since they are experiencing or have experienced cancer and cancer treatment like you. Support groups can also help by providing you with items you may need, such as books, wigs, breast forms, and scarves. If you are seeking one-on-one support, there are programs that can connect you with someone similar to yourself in age and sex who has experienced metastatic breast cancer. This person can either visit you or communicate with you through a “hotline” over the phone. See a list of online cancer support organizations that can provide you with breast cancer information, community, and support
- Friends and members of your family. Friends and family are often the people you turn to for support. Let them know you need them. Talk openly with your family members and friends about metastatic breast cancer, chemo treatment, the emotions you are experiencing, and how they can help. By being open and honest about what you are going through, loved ones can better understand how and when to reach out
- Online resources and publications. Knowledge is power. The more you know about chemotherapy, the more you can see that not all chemo is the same. You can gain knowledge from a number of sources, including this site