Cancer
diagnosis, whatever its type, the stage and location of malignancy
falls as if death penalty to the patient. With breakthrough in medical
science, currently it’s known that the sooner the diagnosis run-up
the better the cure likelihood. It means that the cure depends on
the stage of malignancy, on each patient’s response to recommended
treatment and why not, by God’s will.
In this article, we talk about those patients in for this diagnosis,
more specifically about women who learnt the news of being with breast-cancer.
The breasts, an organ of great significance for women accumulating
functions of nutrition and feeding of newly born besides sexual connotation-
breasts are highly attractive to the male gaze.
Pain, physical=surgical, agony, revolt, fear – as of death, from
the breast loss, insecurity, low self-esteem, sexual boredom are major
symptoms, more easily detected by the doctor and/or therapist. The
woman’s behavior in general suffers deep changes and that includes
her sexuality.
Incidentally, changes in sexual behavior are directly related to
undermined self-esteem, insecurity, and most often to shame of own
body. I’m not talking about the silicondom and pointing up breasts,
even though reckoning that could further aggravate symptoms, but instead
of fear and shame of mutilation through which women endure, apart
from all the sufferance and agony of treatment-surgery, radiotherapy,
chemotherapy, to name a few.
Radical mastectomy-total breast-ablation, has been avoided by doctors,
apart from certain cases, and the partial mastectomy- partial removal
of the breast , renders the woman feeling deeply distressed. By the
way, many are the patients who report to be feeling deformed, unattractive,
and less feminine. Thus, sexual boredom is perfectly acceptable and
comprehensible.
Within my experience with these women, I can state that their sexual
behavior evolves towards recovery in accordance to state, in other
words, the system responds to treatment. Even so, quite often certain
relationships don’t survive. Therein, will be down to the woman who
goes through such hardship to overcome all her agony so that can she
rediscover and profess her sexuality. That requires medical or therapist
support.
Do not be afraid. Run through telltale spots, ask your doctor to
show you how. Post forties and thereabouts have periodic check ups,
if possible begin prior this age. Catch with all issues and if the
worst comes to worst get on top of things. Remember that prevention
is the best treatment.
By Kelly Cristine Barbosa Cherulli
Psychologist and Sexologist
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