Beyond the Physical: Mental Health and Sleep Issues in Benign Breast Lesions

Background: Breast lesions are a common clinical condition in women and a frequent reason for hospital admissions. While hospital visits for suspected malignancy are known to cause significant psychological distress, there is limited data on the psychological impact of benign breast lesions (BBL). This study aims to address this gap by evaluating psychological symptoms in women with BBL. Methods: The study included 103 women diagnosed with BBL as the patient group and 69 women as the control group. All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). All women participating in the study were given detailed information about the study and their consent was obtained. Results: Women with BBL had statistically significantly higher BDI, BAI, and PSQI scores compared to the control group. Furthermore, a positive correlation was identified between BDI, BAI, and PSQI scores. Women with BBL had significantly higher symptoms of anxiety, depression and varying degrees of sleep disturbance compared to controls. Conclusions: A diagnosis of BBL is associated with increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Additionally, these symptoms exhibit a linear relationship, emphasizing the need for psychological evaluation and support for women with BBL to mitigate potential mental health issues.