All patients experience emotional disequilibrium in response to a diagnosis of breast cancer.
Yet, few women will request counseling, supportive interventions or psychiatric consultation for a number of reasons. Many women are psychologically immobilized and cannot find the emotional energy to ask for help with the emotional aspect of the disease. Often asking for help to cope is viewed by some women as an inability to cope, an admission of personal inadequacy or a sign of mental weakness or disease. Furthermore, most patients are unaware that receiving help through individual counseling or support groups will help reduce the terror evoked by the diagnosis. Therefore, information on support groups and counseling should be offered and encouraged by the medical health care team for patients to realize the value they can receive.