Mental Disorders Seen in Mastectomy Patients

Mental Disorders Seen in Mastectomy

Breast surgeries, and especially mastectomy, cause different reactions before and after the operation. Pre-operative problems focus on anxiety and communication difficulties, while post-operative issues arise concerning the patient’s sense of identity, self-confidence, and fears related to the disease. Short-term negative effects are seen in sexual relationships, marriage, and social and interpersonal relationships. In the longer term, problems related to prostheses and clothing come to the fore.

Mental disorders, especially depression (intense sadness, unhappiness, and hopelessness), are very common in cancer patients. After mastectomy, some women may experience depression or develop angry reactions. It is possible for the woman to withdraw from family and friends, experience emotional tension, and even blame her spouse and family. Patients who have undergone mastectomy also worry about whether the cancer has been completely removed from their bodies, whether it will reappear, or whether it will spread. The spread or recurrence of the disease is devastating for the patient. During this period of intense pain, patients experience sleep and appetite disturbances, decreased mobility, depression, and intense anxiety.