A diagnosis of breast cancer can have a profound effect on the entire family, according to a report from researchers at the Dane-Farber Cancer Institute. Spouses and children undergo a variety of emotional responses for which they must find ways to cope. Daily routines are interrupted and often family members must take on new and challenging roles.
Stress
Especially in families where the mother is the primary caregiver, breast cancer can plunge others into the role. Often during treatment, the patient is unable to perform the duties the family has come to expect, such as cooking and cleaning, grocery shopping and driving children to activities. Children may feel the need to do more to help the patient as well. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that caregivers often feel abandoned and upset that their schedules have been disrupted. Asking for help and adjusting schedules to suit everyone involved can help to relieve the stress of the role reversals.
Depression
The families of breast cancer victims often feel overwhelming sadness and depression. The NIH reports that adult family members who have experienced a loss due to cancer in the past are the most likely to develop depression. Adult family members who work also were greatly affected by depressive feelings in the NIH studies. The extent of the cancer and the severity of the side effects from treatment also played a part in the level of depression in family members. Family members can be at risk for clinical depression and should receive counseling or medication to treat the symptoms. Early interventions from health care providers who can make referrals to counselors can help to decrease the amount of depression and relieve family members from some of the effects of breast cancer on the family.
Confusion
Children can become confused and worried when they see their mother sick and unable to tend to their needs. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Comprehensive Cancer Center recommends giving children information appropriate for their age. Honesty provides the best platform from which to explain the disease to children. Children also notice the fears and anxieties presented by their ailing mothers. Mothers with breast cancer should strive to maintain their own mental health and maintain a positive outlook so as not to scare children. Including children in the treatment process also can help alleviate confusion and settle fears. Celebrate when various aspects of the treatment are finished and keep children informed of where the patient is in the process. While refusing to minimize the seriousness of the disease, children do not need to be unnecessarily alarmed when their mother takes a turn for the worse. Mothers should explain the process and continue to perform as many activities as they are able to perform.
