I have been feeling very depressed since my cancer diagnosis. Is this normal?

It is normal to feel some stress, emotional upset and sadness after a cancer diagnosis. However, if you find yourself overwhelmed by feelings of deep sadness and despair, and these feelings do not decrease over time, you may be suffering from depression.

Depression affects 15 to 25 percent of cancer patients. Symptoms include a strong sense of helplessness and gloom, grief, and the feeling that life is meaningless. People who are depressed may withdraw from relationships with others or lose interest in activities they used to enjoy. They also may experience crying spells, sleep difficulties, changes in physical energy, changes in appetite, and suicidal thoughts or behavior.

If you have had several of these symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, talk with the doctor.

People with cancer are more likely to become depressed if they have a personal or family history of depression, suicide or alcoholism, or if they are being treated with some anticancer drugs. These patients also have a higher risk for depression if they have poorly controlled pain, an advanced cancer, cancer of the pancreas, or another illness that produces symptoms of depression, such as a stroke or heart attack.

Depression can often be treated successfully. Your doctor may prescribe medicine, refer you to a mental health professional, or recommend that you discuss your feelings with other cancer patients in a support group.

To learn more about depression in cancer patients, call the Cancer Information Service at 800-4-CANCER.

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