Words matter to people living with cancer. Here’s how verbal microaggressions affect their mental state

Words matter to people living with cancer. Here’s how verbal microaggressions affect their mental state

“It’s boiling hot. Why are you still wearing a wig?” Such remarks may sound commonplace and are often not intended to cause harm. But for people living with cancer, they can affect mental well-being and undermine self-esteem. These kinds of comments are commonly referred to as verbal microaggressions. Verbal microaggressions are harmful because they can erode confidence, reinforce internalised stigma, and and make it harder for patients to trust…