What should I know and do about depression?
ACS Answer
Some degree of sadness is common in people who are coping with cancer. But someone who experiences long-lasting emotional upset or has difficulty carrying out day-to-day activities may have clinical depression. In fact, about 25% of people with cancer experience clinical depression, causing great distress, impaired functioning, and decreased ability to follow a treatment schedule.
Those being treated for cancer should be aware that they may be at risk for depression. Caregivers should be alert to signs of depression in their loved ones; they should also be aware that the stress of being a caregiver may increase their own risk of depression.
If you recognize symptoms of depression in yourself or someone you are caring for, you should understand the importance of getting an evaluation from a health care professional. Clinical depression can be treated with a variety of methods including medication, psychotherapy, a combination of both, or some other specialized treatment. These therapies can improve the quality of life and psychological condition of people with cancer.
What to look for
- Persistent sad or "empty" mood almost every day for most of the day
- Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Inability to sleep, early waking, oversleeping
- Restlessness or feeling "slowed down" almost daily
- Fatigue, almost every day
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or attempts at suicide
If 5 or more symptoms last for 2 weeks or longer, or are severe enough to interfere with normal functioning, encourage the person you are caring for to get an evaluation for clinical depression by a qualified health or mental health professional.
What to do (for family and friends)
- Listen carefully to each other.
- Provide reassurance and support.
- Talk about feelings and fears that your loved one may be having.
- Remind your loved one that it is OK to feel sad and frustrated.
- Encourage, but do not force, the person you are caring for to talk.
- Seek help through counseling and support groups.
- Use prayer or other types of spiritual support.
- Encourage your loved one to try deep breathing and relaxation exercises several times a day: Close eyes, breathe deeply, concentrate on each body part and relax it, starting with toes and working up to head; when relaxed, try to think of a pleasant place, such as a beach in the morning or a field on a spring day.
- Talk with your loved one's doctor about the possible use of antidepressant medications. Depression is common in people with cancer, and many people who suffer from it will benefit from the use of antidepressants.
- Remember that depression is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. It is a serious, but treatable, medical condition.
What to do (for the person with cancer)
- Listen carefully to each other.
- Talk about feelings and fears that you may be having.
- Remember that it is OK to feel sad and frustrated.
- Seek help through counseling and support groups.
- Use prayer or other types of spiritual support.
- Try deep breathing and relaxation exercises several times a day: Close eyes, breathe deeply, concentrate on each body part and relax it, starting with toes and working up to head; when relaxed, try to think of a pleasant place, such as a beach in the morning or a field on a spring day.
- Talk with your doctor about the possible use of antidepressant medications.
Do not (for the person with cancer)
- Keep feelings inside
- Blame yourself for feelings of fear, anxiety, or depression; instead, look for a cause of these feelings, and then talk about it
Do not (for family and friends)
- Force someone to talk if he or she is not ready to
- Tell a person to "cheer up" if he or she is depressed
- Try to reason with a person whose fear, anxiety, or depression are severe; instead, talk with the person's doctor about medications and other kinds of help
Call the doctor about any of the following symptoms
- Talking about suicide
- Refusing to eat or sleep, or acting uninterested in usual daily activities for several days
- Difficulty breathing
- Unusual sweating
- Restlessness
What to do if you are diagnosed with clinical depression
For the patient
- Continue treatment until your symptoms improve (usually after several weeks).
- Seek different treatment if there is no improvement.
- Engage in enjoyable activities.
- Remember that with time and treatment you will begin to feel better.
For the family
- Help make the appointments for an evaluation or treatment, if necessary.
- Provide transportation for an evaluation and treatment, if necessary.
- Engage in enjoyable activities.
- Reassure the person you are caring for that with time and treatment, he or she will begin to feel better.
- Keep in mind that caregivers can also become depressed.
Related Resources
Find books that cover this and other cancer topics at the American Cancer Society bookstore.
Recommended Consultation
You should consider discussing this topic with your doctor or health care team.
