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How to cope with severe emotional changes?

Page last modified on: October 7, 2008
Question from gwja:  I am depressed and moody most of the time. I hate my body and all the drugs I have to take, I have no interest in having sex with my husband and the thought of living this way for the rest of my life is more than I can handle. How do I cope with all the changes going on with me?
Answers —Lidia Schapira, M.D.: You sound overwhelmed. And it seems to me that the illness and/or the treatment have taken a huge toll on your mood, your relationship, and your whole outlook on life. I strongly encourage you to take this seriously and ask your physician for a referral to a psychiatrist. Sometimes support groups and informal help can help women to lift themselves out of this depression, but in this case I do think you need some professional help. I have seen women climb out of this hole and regain interest in life, and I sincerely hope that you will get some help, and start to feel better soon.
Jennifer Armstrong, M.D.: You do not have to cope alone. Asking for help can be difficult, but getting it can help bring you back everything you have been missing.

On Wednesday, March 15, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Coping with Your Changing Feelings and Relationships. Lidia Schapira, M.D. and moderator Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. answered your questions about facing your fears head-on, handling moodiness and depression, diffusing tension with your partner and feeling close without sexual activity, as well as issues of self-image and femininity.

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

Lidia Schapira, M.DLidia Schapira, M.D. is a medical oncologist at the Gillette Center for Breast Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Jennifer Armstrong, M.D.Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. is a breast cancer oncologist at Paoli Hematology-Oncology Associates in Paoli, Pa., with a special interest in physicians' communication skills.

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