You may find that it’s more difficult to talk with your friends about relationships and sex than it was before you had cancer. Teenagers and young adults often talk with their friends more than their parents about these things. However, after cancer you may feel that your friends don’t understand what it’s like for you. You may feel left out or isolated.
Sometimes it can be helpful to explain to one or two friends what it’s like for you. You can ask them to help you to work out how to manage when these conversations come up. You might also find it be helpful to talk to other young people who have also had cancer.
boyfriends and girlfriends
If you already had a partner before your cancer it’s important that you talk to them about the way you feel. Some people find cancer easier to cope with than others. If you were already having sex, your relationship may have been one where your partner was more interested in sex than you were or it may have been the other way round. Cancer can exaggerate these differences.
If one person has a change in their level of desire, or difficulties due to physical or emotional changes, this may be especially upsetting when there is the added complication of cancer.
new relationships
Some people find it difficult to get started with new relationships after cancer, especially with someone that they didn’t know before. You may feel unsure about what to tell them about your cancer, if anything at all. If your fertility might be affected, you may worry that they will not be interested in you if you can’t have children. You may also worry about when is the right time to tell them.
Some people prefer to tell everyone straight away while others prefer to wait. There is no right and wrong but it can be difficult to decide how to handle it. It can help to talk it through with someone, such as a friend, family member or a professional.
