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To Whom It May Concern:
My 7th episode in my F*** Cancer F*** Fear Series is called, “Find Support.”
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to finding support because everyone is different in how they define and seek support.
For me, these are the 3 main ways I find support:
1. Professional Therapist — Just how we have an oncologist who can help us medically, we can seek a professional therapist who can help us emotionally and mentally. I found a therapist that fits me and my insurance best. She was able to help me identify my exact fears and work through them. Receiving guidance on a regular cadence from a professional that I trust has been a game changer!
2. Friends and Family with High Emotional Intelligence — We all have different types of friends and family members, and everyone has different strengths! The ones with high emotional intelligence are super easy to identify once you read into how they approached your relationship throughout your cancer journey. These are the non-cancer people that I rely on when I need support.
3. Breast Cancer Community — Whether it’s an acquaintance on social media or special friendship in person, each relationship we make is so priceless because we share a special bond. There’s just so much comfort in knowing that you have a supportive community who knows exactly what you’ve been through and how you feel.
When it comes to finding support during a cancer diagnosis and during survivorship, I strongly believe quality comes before quantity.
For all my fellow introverted breasties AND for all my fellow private breasties who decided NOT to publicize their diagnoses like me, please remember that you’re not alone. I had a really small but mighty support system during my diagnosis, and I absolutely wouldn’t have it any other way because that’s what worked best for me!
Finding the type of support you are looking for isn’t always easy, but it’s really important because we can’t always do everything ourselves. Sometimes, the love and support from our circle can pull us out of the fear.
Breast regards,
Michelle
P.S. The 8 episodes in my F*** Cancer F*** Fear series are linked below:
Episode 3: We Have Different DNA
Episode 4: Your Doctor and the Red Devil
