Nurturing Your Emotional Health
- Mathew Knowles is stressing the importance of self-care in the wake of his 2019 breast cancer diagnosis and other health struggles, which have all transformed his mental and physical health positively.
- Knowles, 72, who is the father of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, has become a strong advocate for male breast cancer and mental health awareness, racial disparities in cancer, and the overall importance of education for all.
- One of SurvivorNet’s mental health advisors says your emotional health is just as important as your physical health, and that is where self-care plays a key role. Make time for things that make you feel good about yourself to ease daily stress.
- Be sure to see a doctor or mental health professional if you are feeling like something is wrong or off with your mental or physical health. In the meantime, check out SurvivorNet’s mental health guide HERE for information and resources
“Over the last five years I’ve experienced Covid, Cancer and two knee replacements,” Knowles, 72, began on an Instagram post this week. “I’m grateful that I found my male breast cancer at stage one. My major takeaway from the last five years has been self-care.”
Read MoreView this post on Instagram“Self-care is the practice of taking deliberate actions to maintain and improve your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being,” the author and professor continued. “It involves prioritizing your own needs and engaging in activities that promote self-nurturing, relaxation, and personal growth. Self-care is not selfish; it is a vital aspect of maintaining a healthy and balanced life.”
“Remember, self-care is not a luxury but a necessity for your well-being,” he added. “Please start today!”
Knowles, who is the father of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, has become a strong advocate for male breast cancer and mental health awareness.
Last month, Knowles announced an upcoming special appearance for After Breast Cancer’s 12th Annual Pink Diamond Gala in Toronto, Canada.
Additionally, Knowles focuses a lot of his work on encouraging the Black community to take control of their health, and teamed up with SurvivorNet at a past conference to speak on racial disparities in cancer.
Mathew Knowles Urges the Black Community to ‘Take Control of Your Health’ and ‘Know Your Self-Worth’
Knowles also continually stresses the overall importance of education for all.
“By investing in education that promotes empathy, critical thinking, and cultural awareness, we can break down barriers and build bridges across communities, races and nations,” he wrote in an Instagram post last month.
Dr. Knowles, who holds a Ph.D in Business Administration, also holds an MBA in Strategic Planning and Organizational Culture. He recently attended a Professional Development course in Ethical Leadership at Harvard, and teaches at University of Houston, Prairie View A&M University and The Art Institute.
Investing in Yourself
As you continue treating your cancer diagnosis, it’s important to include self-care in your overall care plan. Your emotional health is just as important as your physical health, and that is where self-care plays a key role. Make time for things that make you feel good about yourself and ease daily stress.
In a previous conversation with SurvivorNet, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin talked about what it means to be a “cancer patient” and how self-care can help people step outside of that label. Being a cancer patient is “a difficult identity to have with you at all times,” she said.
“Self-care is a way for you to treat yourself, to give back to yourself, that feels very different than being a patient,” Dr. Strongin says.
Cancer can be all-encompassing, meaning it can hijack your mental energy and fill your schedule. Practicing self-care can help you take back control.
Dr. Strongin recommends thinking of self-care in the context of the things in life that bring you the most joy. It doesn’t necessarily mean pampering yourself, as Knowles pointed out. It’s more important to find opportunities to be playful and joyful to embrace the child within yourself.
“Self-care allows (people with cancer) to take on a different role where they are proactively giving back to their body, giving back to their mind, whatever that might be.”
Self-care Is Closely Linked to Good Emotional Health
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers additional guidance for ways to practice self-care.
Regularly ask yourself, “How am I feeling?” and work through why you feel that way regardless of whether those feelings are negative or positive. For example, if you are feeling hopeful and optimistic, you may ask yourself why. The same can be said if you’re feeling sad or angry; ask yourself why that is.
RELATED: Check Out SurvivorNet’s Mental Health Guide
“Checking in with yourself is being mindful of what your body is telling you. The more you check in with yourself, the more aware you’ll be that you need a break. Sometimes, rest and quiet time is all you need to feel rejuvenated,” the NCI says.
Examples of self-care may include:
- Exercising
- Sleeping
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Meditation
- Engage in activities that bring you happiness (hobbies, spending time with loved ones, etc)
- Practicing gratitude
- Staying positive
As we mentioned previously, self-care is closely linked to your emotional (mental) health.
Mental health refers to both your emotional and psychological well-being. Our mental health can affect how we think, feel, and behave. Certain triggers like stress, traumatic events, or changes in your physical health can affect your mental health. It’s really important to keep tabs on your mental health and, if necessary, seek treatment from a mental health professional.
How Common Is Male Breast Cancer?
As of January 2022, the American Cancer Society estimates about 2,710 new cases of invasive male breast cancer will be diagnosed and about 530 men will die from breast cancer.
Knowles carries the BRCA gene mutation. This means that his children have a 50% chance of also carrying the gene that predisposes you to certain types of cancers. (In a prior interview, Knowles says that Beyoncé and Solange have tested negative for the gene mutation.)
A male breast cancer diagnosis is uncommon and many men likely don’t know what symptoms to watch for, and some don’t even know that they can develop the disease. Several risk factors increase men’s chances of getting breast cancer, and it is important for men with these risk factors to be vigilant:
- Age. Breast cancer risk increases with age, and most cancers are found in patients over 50. The average age of a man diagnosed with breast cancer is 72.
- Family history. Men with close blood relatives who have had breast cancer are at higher risk for the disease.
- Genetic mutations. Patients may inherit gene defects that make them more susceptible to breast cancer. Men with a mutation in the BRCA2 gene have a 6% lifetime risk of breast cancer, and men with a mutation in the BRCA1 gene have a 1% lifetime risk. These gene mutations are most commonly found in families with strong histories of breast or ovarian cancer, but they have also been found in male breast cancer patients without a family history.
- Klinefelter syndrome. Men with Klinefelter syndrome are born with at least one extra X chromosome. An extra X chromosome may increase a man’s breast cancer risk by producing high levels of estrogen (a hormone responsible for female sex characteristics) and low levels of androgens (hormones responsible for male sex characteristics). This condition affects about 1 in 1,000 men, and can raise the risk of breast cancer by 20 60 times that of the general population.
- Hormone therapy. Men who have been treated with drugs containing estrogen are at a greater breast cancer risk. These drugs were once used to treat prostate cancer, and they are still used in sex reassignment processes.
- Conditions affecting the testicles. Testicle injuries, swelling, or removal surgery can increase men’s breast cancer risk by disrupting normal hormone levels.
- Liver disease. Diseases that impede the liver (like cirrhosis) may raise men’s estrogen production and lower their androgen levels, increasing breast cancer risk.
- Alcohol. Heavy drinking is known to raise the risk of breast cancer (which may be related to alcohol’s effect on the liver).
- Radiation therapy. Men who have received radiation therapy to their chests (for conditions like lymphoma) have a higher breast cancer risk.
- Obesity. Fat cells can transform androgens into estrogens, boosting the possibility of an overweight man developing breast cancer.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
- A lump developed in the breast (usually painless), or a thickening in the breast tissue
- Nipple pain
- An inverted nipple
- Discharge from the nipple, which may be clear or bloody
- Changes to the color or texture of the nipple and areola
- Changes to the color or texture of skin on the chest
- Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm
In a past interview with SurvivorNet, Knowles urges people to research their family history, get genetic testing done, and start making lifestyle changes now.
“Let me tell you why it’s important to know you have a higher risk. Because there are three things you can do to minimize that risk: Diet, exercise, reduction of alcohol consumption.”
If you are experiencing any signs or symptoms of a potential physical or mental health illness, please schedule an appointment with a doctor.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are not feeling your usual self and are facing a diagnosis or some other traumatic event, you should consider contacting your doctor to see if your mental health needs a boost.
- Should I consider going on medication to help with mental health struggles?
- Would genetic testing help determine the best treatment for me?
- What is the likelihood that the test will recommend the proper treatment?
- What can we do if I don’t succeed with the recommended treatment?
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