Nearly one-third of cancer patients are affected by Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions, but they are frequently ignored and misdiagnosed. According to Kristin Kilbourn, a clinical psychologist at the University of Colorado Denver, many oncologists are reluctant to discuss these issues because they believe they are secondary or complex. Furthermore, mental health has historically received less attention, in part because medical facilities see treating psychiatric patients as not financially profitable.
There are severe repercussions for this carelessness. The death risk for cancer patients with depression can be up to 39% higher than that of cancer patients without mental disease. Research indicates that the probability of suicide is 13 times higher in the week after receiving a cancer diagnosis and stays three times higher than average, demonstrating the profound emotional impact of receiving a cancer diagnosis.
Cancer doesn’t just affect the body—it profoundly has effect on the psyche. Patients are frequently left to advocate for themselves, even though more mental health therapies are becoming provided in cancer care. When it comes to getting therapy for emotional difficulties, they have to take the initiative. “Unless you bring it up,” Kilbourn stresses, “your oncologist won’t automatically notice your mood changes or suicidal thoughts.”
The Link Between Mental Health and Cancer
According to Dr. Santosh Rao, an oncologist at University Hospitals in Cleveland, receiving a cancer diagnosis inevitably causes anxiety and depression. However, clinical anxiety and depression extend beyond these emotions. Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, changes in eating and sleep patterns, or regular panic episodes that interfere with day-to-day activities are all signs of depression.
Cancer has the potential to create new mental health problems or increase preexisting ones. 10% of the 230,000 patients in a 2023 study reported having anxiety or depression prior to their diagnosis, whereas 22% did so after receiving a diagnosis, particularly in cases of advanced cancer. This connection frequently results from the emotional burden of receiving a cancer diagnosis, the psychological strain of confronting mortality, or the stress of broken relationships.
Although cancer might sometimes bring loved ones closer, Dr. Rao points out that it frequently fractures already brittle relationships. Cancer’s physical impacts and its treatment also have an impact. One’s mental health can be significantly impacted by unmanaged pain, exhaustion, mood swings brought on by hormone treatments, or significant physical changes brought on by surgery.
