Mastectomy

Improved Essays
Despite the advances in BC diagnosis and treatment, mastectomies continue to be practiced and about 40% of BC cases are treated surgically (Tab'ar and Holmberg, 1985; Malata, 2000; Ismaeel, 2015). Breast cancer treatments like surgery and radiation can damage to a woman's feelings of beauty and attractiveness. In all cultures, people has a belief that breast is the symbol of woman's femininity and beauty. Removal of a breast (mastectomy) has negative emotional consequences on the woman's life. Barcia (1985) stated that "mastectomy causes more trauma than the cancer illness its self". The most commonly reported feelings were "devastating" and "depressing" other descriptors include "confusing", "disturbing", "soul destroying", "shocking and …show more content…
I try to accept it, but I cannot"; "My appearance was like a circus clown, I felt sorry for myself "; " I used to walk naked around the house, but when I was operated I did not do it anymore".

Low self-esteem: Loss of body image leads to fall in self-esteem that drive the woman not to like herself or even to reject her, leading her to an attitude of introversion, shyness, insecurity, confinement and social inhibition, which did not exist before the surgery.
" I hate the way I am, because I do not feel like the other women, I’m not complete" , "I feel I’m not worthy and I do not know how to explain it, “When I’m with my friends I become a shy person since I feel I’m inferior”; “I do not understand how this can make such an influence on me, since it not only stop me in intimacy with my sentimental couple, but also with the visitors who come home and I’m speechless when I’m with them, as though I had no words and could not express myself". Relation to others: In relation to others, what happens to the woman herself is reflected in her surrounding environment; that is, her body appearance may now be described through the manifestations, statements, or opinions from those around her, especially her couple, family, or friends, so she is

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