How a brain tumour diagnosis can affect communication in your relationship
Communication is at the heart of all relationships. It can help us solve problems, ease our fears and the right words can even make our day.
But the practical and emotional challenges a couple faces after a brain tumour diagnosis can make it harder to communicate. Not only can a brain tumour cause speech, language or comprehension difficulties, you may simply struggle with what to say to your partner.
“We’ve had to be totally honest with each other”
Adam and Lou talk about how they coped after he learnt he had a brain tumour.
If you’ve recently found out you have a brain tumour, it can be hard to break the news to your loved ones and you may not even be ready to talk about it yourself. Denial is a natural reaction to have and can affect both people in a relationship.
If you’re worrying about upcoming treatment or dreading the results of the next scan, it may feel easier to bottle up your emotions. You may see this as wanting to protect your partner’s feelings or not be a burden on them.
You might also think that talking about relationship issues isn’t as important when faced with the life-changing reality of a brain tumour diagnosis.
One way to help you communicate better is to set aside ten minutes to talk when you know you won’t have any interruptions. Take turns to talk about how you feel for five minutes.
You don’t need to go through this alone though. Relate offers a wide range of content to help people experiencing relationship difficulties.
We know that, sadly, some people in our community have seen changes in their loved ones that have led to them being violent or aggressive, although this is rare.
These changes can seem even more worrying in the current situation, but it’s important to remember that if this is something you’re experiencing, your safety is paramount and the current social distancing (or isolation) rules don’t apply if you need to leave your home to escape domestic violence.
If you feel you’re at risk of abuse, remember there’s help and support available, including police response, online support, helplines, refuges and other services.
You are not alone!
This content has been created in partnership with Relate, the leading relationships charity in England and Wales. If you found this information useful, you might also find the following resources by Relate interesting:
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This content has been created in partnership with Relate – the leading relationships charity in England and Wales.
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