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Does fear of illness go away?

Page last modified on: August 18, 2008
Question from Angela99T: Once you get sick, do you ever get over being sick? I mean, am I going to be afraid all the time now?
Answers —David Spiegel, Ph.D.: No. I think it is much more acute in the first period. It doesn't go away, but you get used to it and you have experience dealing with it. People learn this in support groups. You go from feeling completely healthy to feeling completely sick and eventually you wind up in the middle.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: www.breastcancer.org offers a lot of information and tools to help women deal with the fear and also the Y-ME organization, www.y-me.org, who is co-sponsoring this event, has a terrific national help line to help women who are struggling with these feelings.

On Wednesday, October 18, 2000, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Feelings about Breast Cancer. David Spiegel, Ph.D. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about the emotional effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

David Spiegel, Ph.D.David Spiegel, Ph.D. is professor and associate chairman of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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