RECOGNIZING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN BREAST CANCER

Knowing and experiencing breast cancer can be stressful. The word "cancer" is often associated with suffering and death, although in reality it is not necessarily true. About 50% of women who have breast cancer have a life expectancy of at least 15 years and more than 95% of women whose cancer is localized can survive 5 years or more. Some women when told about the disease will react anxious, angry, sad, feel hopeless, think negatively and some even have the idea of ​​ending their life.

According to E Kubler Ross, there are stages in the mental condition of a person who experiences conditions that make him sad or lose or experience serious illness, namely:

• Denial --> The patient is in a state of shock and denial, experiences a feeling of dullness, feels that the world and life are meaningless. At the moment the patient is unsure whether he will continue in life and also asks why he is this way. When the patient accepts the fact of having breast cancer and begins to ask himself questions, he unconsciously begins the healing process, becomes stronger and the process of rejection begins to fade away.
• Anger --> Once the patient is living in the "actual" reality, anger may begin to emerge. The patient will think "why me?" and "life is not fair". The patient may blame others for the cause and divert anger towards family or closest friends. The patient will ask "Where is God?" Why didn't God protect me ?. Feeling the actual anger is needed (getting angry - even though at that time it feels like it will not end - but quickly the process is passed)
• Bargaining -->  The patient will make a deal with God. "Oh God, if God heals me, I will try to be the best wife and mother ever and never complain again". From another perspective, this stage is a false hope.
• Depression --> It is sadness accompanied by a feeling of emptiness, numbness, not wanting to get out of bed, withdrawing from the environment, not wanting to talk, the world feels too heavy to deal with, feeling hopeless. Maybe have suicide thoughts, think there's no point in going on with life.
• Reception --> The emotional stage stabilizes. Starting to enter reality, accepting the disease that is experienced. This phase is the time for adjustments and readjustments. There are good days, there are also bad days, followed by good days, on bad days the patient can control the sadness he experiences