Relationships & Communication
The basis for any good relationship is communication. Whether it’s your romantic partner, family, friends, co-workers, or acquaintances, communicating builds trust and connects you to others. This is especially true when you’re dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer.
For some people, talking about breast cancer can feel scary, uncomfortable or embarrassing. These are all normal reactions. It’s OK to hold back and not tell everyone everything right away. But over time, you may want to let some people who care about you know:
- what you’re going through
- how you’re feeling
- how they can help
Learning how to make the most of your relationships may help you build trust with your support circle, and protect you when you want to avoid certain comments or conversations. Understanding your rights at work will help you if you want to tell your boss or co-workers, or if you need some time off or other accommodations.
In this section, you’ll find more detailed information about communication issues surrounding a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Recently Diagnosed
- Your Medical Needs
- Coping With the News
- What Is Breast Cancer?
- Who Gets Breast Cancer?
- Your Medical Team
- How Cancer Is Staged
- Your Treatment Options
- Genetic Testing
- Tests You May Have
- Your Pathology Report
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- In Treatment
- Your Medical Needs
- Your Treatment Options
- Surgery
- Available Schedules of Radiation Therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Common Regimens
- Hormonal Therapy
- Importance of Menopausal Status
- Partial Breast Radiation
- Radiation Therapy
- Targeted Therapies for Hormone-Positive Breast Cancer
- Targeted Therapy
- Targeted Therapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
- Types of Chemotherapy
- Types of Hormonal Therapy
- What Is Hormonal Therapy
- Whole Breast Radiation
- Treatment Side Effects
- Treating Lymphedema
- Bone Loss
- Bone Pain
- Chemobrain
- Depression and Anxiety
- Hair Loss
- Hand-Foot Syndrome
- Insomnia and Fatigue
- Lymphedema
- Lymphedema Risk
- Managing Insomnia and Fatigue
- Menopausal Symptoms
- Mouth Sores
- Nail and Skin Changes
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Neuropathy
- Neutropenia
- Pain
- Secondary Cancers
- Sexual Side Effects
- What are the Treatments for Insomnia and Fatigue?
- Your Treatment Options
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- Living With a History of Breast Cancer
- Your Medical Needs
- Survivorship Care Plans
- Genetic Counseling
- When to Have Follow-Up Visits
- Genetics and Family Risk
- Genetic Test Results and What They Mean
- Genetic Testing
- Genetic Testing and Your Relationships
- Sharing Your Genetic Test Results At Work
- Sharing Your Genetic Test Results With Family
- Signs Breast Cancer May Be BRCA-Related
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Your Medical Needs
- Coping With Your Diagnosis
- Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Second Opinions and MBC
- Your Treatment Options
- Treatment Side Effects
- Bone Health and MBC
- Bone Pain and MBC
- Depression and Anxiety and MBC
- Hair Loss and MBC
- Hand-Foot Syndrome and MBC
- Insomnia and Fatigue and MBC
- Menopausal Symptoms and MBC
- Mouth Sores and MBC
- Nail and Skin Changes and MBC
- Nausea and Vomiting and MBC
- Neuropathy and MBC
- Neutropenia and MBC
- Pain and MBC
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Hear My Voice Program
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- A Young Woman
- Your Medical Needs
- The Basics: Breast Cancer and Young Women
- Breast Reconstruction
- Ovarian Suppression
- Ovarian Ablation
- Early Menopause
- Bone Health
- Genetics and Family Risk
- Sex and Intimacy
- Fertility and Future Pregnancy
- Getting Pregnant
- Pregnant With Breast Cancer
- Breastfeeding After Treatment
- Treatments and Research
- Side Effects
- Clinical Trials
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Let's Talk About It Video Series
- Young Advocate Program
- Your Voices
- More Resources For You
- Get Connected with YWI
- Your Medical Needs
- Diagnosed With Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
- Diagnosed With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
- Diagnosed With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- LGBT With Breast Cancer
- African-American
- A Man Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
- A Caregiver
- A Healthcare Provider