People often overlook one important source of social support: health care providers. From surgeons and oncology nurses, to radiologists and social workers, health care providers can offer a wealth of information, hope and advice.
These sources are often left untapped due to problems with patient-provider communication. People may feel too embarrassed or rushed to ask questions, or they simply may not know which questions to ask. Providers may add to the situation by seeming impersonal or too busy to help.
Fortunately, there are resources that can help you improve communication with your health care team. For example, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®’s fact sheet “Talking with Your Doctor” outlines a series of steps that you can use to communicate more effectively with your health care providers.
Depression and professional help
About 30 percent of breast cancer survivors will, at some point, show signs of depression or other forms of severe distress [2]. If you have these feelings, share them with your health care provider. He/she can help you directly or refer you to a provider who can. Learn more about depression.
Updated 05/13/09
