Facing a cancer diagnosis is a significant life event which may take its toll on your emotional wellbeing. Although it is rare, male breast cancer affects men and their families all around the world every single day, so what are the right steps to take after a male breast cancer diagnosis? Supporting your mental health and dealing with depression and anxiety are paramount, even if you’re going through medical treatment for your breast cancer.
Hopefully, the following methods will help you to work through your mental health struggles, so that you can start to feel lighter and more able to cope after a life changing diagnosis.
Talk About Your Feelings
Keeping your emotions bottled up will only allow them to grow into a bigger problem. Speaking out and talking about your feelings with friends and family is a healthy way to share your burden and put your mind at ease. Tell your close loved ones how you’re feeling, and they will be able to support you throughout your everyday life. You may even want to seek out a local support group whereby you can connect with other people who may be experiencing depression as a result of men’s breast cancer.
Enjoy Gentle Exercise
Exercise is a brilliant way to top up the positive endorphins in your body, so why not find a type of movement you enjoy? Even if you don’t have much physical strength right now, it may be enjoyable for you to go outside for slow walks, take an online yoga class or go swimming. There are plenty of gentle exercises you can do from home which will benefit your mental health, and help you to feel better as each day goes by.
Try Meditation and Relaxation
When your mind is filled with thoughts and depressive emotions, it’s so important to take time out to meditate and relax. There are so many incredible relaxation techniques you can try for yourself such as breathing techniques and grounding methods. You could also download a meditation app on your phone to help you work through any tough moments during the day. Just five or ten minutes of meditation can clear your mind and help to reduce symptoms of anxiety.
Write in a Journal
When you have been diagnosed with male breast cancer, you probably have a multitude of thoughts and ideas going through your head simultaneously. Instead of allowing these issues to build up over time, why not write them down so that you can rationalize them in a healthy way? Investing in a simple lined book and a new pen will help you to scribble down your thoughts, no matter how big or small. Keep it next to your bedside table so that you can write things down at any time during the day or night.
Eat Wholesome Foods
When you live an active and healthy lifestyle, you will find that your mood gradually starts to lift again. Although a nutritional diet won’t completely cure your feelings of depression or anxiety, it can help to get you on the right track again. Aim to eat three healthy and balanced meals each day, and incorporate wholesome and anti-inflammatory snacks such as nuts, seeds, raw vegetables and fruit. Keeping yourself busy in the kitchen by cooking wholesome meals each day will give you something to focus on, and you’ll be contributing positively to your overall physical wellbeing. After a breast cancer diagnosis, it’s important to keep up your strength as much as possible, and this will certainly bring you a whole host of benefits.
Seek Out a Professional Therapist
Therapy is one of the most useful and underrated services available for those diagnosed with male breast cancer. Seeking out professional support will give you an unbiased, empathetic person to air your concerns to. Talking through your problems in a supportive and safe environment may help to reduce your feelings of anxiety so that you can slowly work towards a happier future. A trained therapist will be able to guide you towards coping mechanisms and techniques to help you feel calmer and more at ease on a day to day basis. You can seek out face to face therapists in your local area, or even schedule online consultations if it’s more convenient.
Keep Busy With Activities You Love
Before your breast cancer diagnosis, you probably had a handful of activities or hobbies that made you feel like the best version of yourself. Wherever possible, you should try and keep busy with these activities so that your mind doesn’t have time to stray towards your anxious thoughts. Whether you love singing, crafting or baking, there are so many incredible and wholesome activities that can work wonders for your mental health. Finding a local group to carry out your pastime with is also hugely beneficial; surrounding yourself with likeminded people will give you some sense of normality during these uncertain times in your life.
Take Home Message: Male Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Depression
You are certainly not alone with your diagnosis, so you should never feel as though you have nobody to turn to in your time of need. There are numerous methods which can help you to work through your thoughts and feelings so that you can regain some sense of normality again. Whether you’re starting a journal, talking to a therapist, or enjoying gentle exercise, these are all sustainable solutions to help you combat depression and anxiety after a breast cancer diagnosis.
With the right support and holistic methods, you can move one step closer to a happier and more fulfilling life that allows you to feel like yourself again.