Overview
Depression is a disabling illness that affects about 15% to 25% of cancer patients. It affects men and women with cancer equally. People who face a diagnosis of cancer will experience different levels of
stress and emotional upset. Important issues in the life of any person with cancer may include the following:
- Fear of death.
- Interruption of life plans.
- Changes in body image and self-esteem.
- Changes in social role and lifestyle.
- Money and legal concerns.
Everyone who is diagnosed with cancer will react to these issues in different ways and may not experience serious depression or anxiety.
Patients who are receiving palliative care for cancer may have frequent feelings of depression and anxiety, leading to a much lower quality of life. Patients in palliative care who suffer from depression report being more troubled about their physical symptoms, relationships, and beliefs about life.
Just as patients need to be evaluated for depression throughout their treatment, so do family caregivers. Caregivers have been found to experience a good deal more anxiety and depression than people who are not caring for cancer patients. Children are also affected when a parent with cancer develops depression. A study of women with breast cancer showed that children of depressed patients were the most likely to have emotional and behavioral problems themselves.
There are many misconceptions about cancer and how people cope with it, such as
the following:
- All people with cancer are depressed.
- Depression in a person
with cancer is normal.
- Treatment does not help the depression.
- Everyone
with cancer faces suffering and a painful death.
Sadness and grief are normal
reactions to the crises faced during cancer, and will be experienced at times
by all people. Because sadness is common, it is important to distinguish between
normal levels of sadness and depression. An important part of cancer care is
the recognition of depression that needs to be treated. Some people may have
more trouble adjusting to the diagnosis of cancer than others may. Major
depression is not simply sadness or a blue mood. Major depression affects
about 25% of patients and has common symptoms that can be diagnosed and
treated.
Symptoms of depression that are noticed when a patient is diagnosed with cancer may be a sign that the patient had a depression problem before the diagnosis of cancer.
All people will experience reactions of sadness and grief periodically
throughout diagnosis, treatment, and survival of cancer. When people find out
they have cancer, they often have feelings of disbelief, denial, or despair.
They may also experience difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, anxiety, and a
preoccupation with worries about the future. These symptoms and fears usually
lessen as a person adjusts to the diagnosis. Signs that a person has adjusted
to the diagnosis include an ability to maintain active involvement in daily
life activities, and an ability to continue functioning as spouse, parent,
employee, or other roles by incorporating treatment into his or her schedule.
If the family of a patient diagnosed with cancer is able to express feelings openly and solve problems effectively, both the patient and family members have less depression. Good communication within the family reduces anxiety. A person who cannot adjust to the diagnosis after a long period of time, and
who loses interest in usual activities, may be depressed. Mild symptoms of
depression can be distressing and may be helped with counseling. Even patients
without obvious symptoms of depression may benefit from counseling; however,
when symptoms are intense and long-lasting, or when they keep coming back, more
intensive treatment is important.
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