‘The key to developing an expressive writing intervention is the writing instruction. Otherwise, writing is just like a journal recording facts and events,’ said Qian Lu, assistant professor and director of the culture and health research centre at University of Houston (UH).
In her research, Lu found some of the challenges with the Asian-American breast cancer survivors were feeling stigmatised, shame associated with cancer, cultural beliefs of bearing the burden alone to avoid disrupting harmony and suppressing emotions.
Lu’s research team asked participants to write 20 minutes each week for three weeks.
Three sealed envelopes were mailed simultaneously to the participants with each envelope containing different writing instructions for the corresponding week.
The findings suggest participants perceived the writing task to be easy, revealed their emotions, and disclosed their experiences in writing that they had not previously told others.
‘Participants reported that they wrote down whatever they thought and felt and perceived the intervention to be appropriate and valuable,’ Lu added.
Previous research has found that writing about emotionally difficult events for just 20 to 30 minutes at a time over three or four days increased the immune function.
The release offered by writing had a direct impact on the body’s capacity to withstand stress and fight off infection and disease.
‘In my research, I found long-term physical and psychological health benefits when research participants wrote about their deepest fears and the benefits of a breast cancer diagnosis,’ Lu contended.
The study appeared in the journal Health Psychology.
Here are some symptoms of breast cancer
Symptom #1: Lumps
If you notice a hard lump or knot, that is usually painless in your breast (either one or both), then it’s time to get a mammography done. Finding a lump does take a little bit of effort, and doing regular breast self exams are imperative to catch this symptom early.
Symptom #2: Slight hardening
Occasionally, you might not be able to discern a clear cut lump cannot, but a ‘lumpish’ feel is there. And this feel is different as compared to the same area of the opposite breast. You will feel a sort of hardening in one area of your breast(s) which must be investigated early. Usually this symptom is ignored as a minor change in the composition of your breast but, considering it could be an early indicator of breast cancer, get yourself tested as soon as you can.
Symptom #3: Nipple discharge
Under normal circumstances there should be no discharge from your nipples ‘(unless you are pregnant or have just had a baby), but if you see bloody or blood stained fluid being discharged from your nipples, it a sign that you need to visit your doctor immediately. Read more about 6 breast cancer symptoms you should never ignore
With inputs from IANS
Image source: Getty Images
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Writing can help breast cancer survivors
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