Breast Cancer: How Your Mind Can Help Your Body According to the
National Cancer Institute, more than 230,000 women in the United
States learn that they have breast cancer each year.1 Because
many of them have no family history of breast cancer or other
known risk factors, the diagnosis often comes as a devastating
surprise. The emotional turmoil that results can affect women's
physical health as well as their psychological well-being. This
question-and-answer fact sheet explains how psychological
treatment can help these women harness the healing powers of
their own minds. What impact does a breast cancer diagnosis have
on psychological well-being? Receiving a diagnosis of breast
cancer can be one of the most distressing events women ever
experience. And women may not know where to turn for help.
Distress typically continues even after the initial shock of
diagnosis has passed. As women begin what is often a lengthy
treatment process, they may find themselves faced with new
problems. They may find their pers