Myth: Stress causes breast cancer.
No. While it would give us something to blame, most evidence suggests there is no link between stress and cancer. Rather, stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyle habits, which could potentially increase a person’s risk.
While it’s important that we are putting our mental health as a priority in our lives, it is also important that we are not misinterpreting complicated information and issues to spread fearful rumours. According to Cancer Research UK, a combined study in 2013 of 100,000+ people found no link between stress and breast cancer. However, unhealthy habits (such as: smoking, overeating, binge, drinking, etc.) that people often take on when they are stressed are known to increase a person’s risk of breast cancer.
Speak to your health care provider to find ways that you can manage stress and don’t forget to show yourself some love.
