'Bouncing back' is a myth: Resilience means integrating hard experiences into your life story, not ignoring them

MedicalXpress | Apr 13, 2026

When Maria looked at herself in the mirror for the first time after her mastectomy, she stood very still. One hand rested on the bathroom counter. The other hovered near the flat space where her breast had been. The scar was raw and angry. The loss was quiet but enormous. Her body felt foreign.