Episode 232 - Normalise it and Stop the Silence Around Medical Menopause

Let's stop the toxic positivity! Just because active cancer treatment may have ended, we don't have to be endlessly positive and grateful for it all. What comes next can be hard. That's why I invited Jessica Zucker, clinical psychologist, author of the bestselling book ‘Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame that Pervade Women's Lives’ and breast cancer survivor, to talk about the long silence that often follows women through miscarriage, breast cancer, tamoxifen and medical menopause. Jessica and I talk about what it means to live with the aftermath of treatment, when the symptoms linger, the uncertainty stays, and the pressure to keep smiling can feel almost unbearable. We also discuss the hidden toll of tamoxifen, the emotional impact of medical menopause, and why phrases like “you’re a warrior” or “at least” can sometimes do more harm than good. Jessica was so open about how even she, as a psychologist, found the experience of tamoxifen and long-term side effects surprising and difficult. We talk about exhaustion, brain fog, loss of creativity, grief, perfectionism and the illusion of control, and why so much of this still goes unsaid. This is a conversation about naming the harder parts out loud, and making space for honesty, nuance and connection. Key topics The pressure to stay positive after cancer and the harm of toxic positivity Jessica’s experience of tamoxifen and medical menopause Exhaustion, brain fog and the emotional impact of treatment side effects Grief, uncertainty and the pressure to make the “right” decisions Find Jessica’s fantastic book ‘Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women's Lives’ here https://a.co/d/0hLfwz2z Episode Highlights: 00:00 Intro 04:07 Discussing the stigma of grief 09:08 Getting a life-changing diagnosis 12:43 Discussing cancer diagnosis and treatment 13:54 Discussing tamoxifen 23:10 Therapists seeking therapy for themselves 24:38 Coping with tamoxifen side effects 28:43 Pressure of Being a Cancer Warrior 31:57 Controlling health outcomes reality check 37:30 Coping with grief and aging 42:58 Sharing personal challenges for impact A little favour... If you enjoy listening each week, I'd love to ask one small favour. Would you consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts? Every review helps more people discover the podcast, and with your support we've now grown into one of the top 1% of podcasts worldwide. That's something we've achieved together, and I'm so incredibly grateful. Leave a review here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/navigating-menopause-after-cancer/id1631842514 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OhAwupemqzdI6sCXCZLSX Thank you for being part of this wonderful community. x Connect with us: For more information and resources, visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org Follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer Find us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@NavigatingMenopauseAfterCancer Join my NEW blog ‘Still Becoming’ on Substack: https://substack.com/@danibinnington?... Buy my book ‘Navigating Menopause After Cancer’: https://amzn.eu/d/07dUoYBb Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub