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Depression
Depression is a disabling mental illness that affects about 15% to 25% of cancer patients. Depression may result from a combination of many factors, including genetic predisposition and prior history of the disorder, but certain contributing factors among cancer patients include the fear of death, interruption of life plans, changes in body image, changes in social role and lifestyle, and money and legal concerns (1).
Sadness and grief are healthy reactions to certain aspects of dealing with cancer, and these are not the same as depression. Especially after the initial diagnosis, it is normal for an individual with cancer to experience anxiety, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, and worry over the future. After an adjustment period, patients should be able to resume many of their normal activities, incorporating treatment into his or her schedule. If it becomes impossible to make this adjustment, and a loss of interest in normal activities occur, the person may be depressed. Mild depression may be relieved through counseling, though more sever depression may call for both counseling and medication (1, 2).
The most common type of depression in people with cancer is termed reactive depression. This appears as a general sense of moodiness and the inability to engage in usual activities. The symptoms last longer and are more pronounced than a normal reaction to a cancer diagnosis, but do not meet the criteria for major depression. When these symptoms are greatly disruptive of a person's lifestyle and daily activities, such as work, school or maintaining a household, they should be treated with the same treatments for major depression: crisis intervention treatment, counseling, and medication. It is important to keep in mind that a patient's low energy and diminished level of activity could be the result of fatigue brought on by the cancer, and this must be distinguished from symptoms of depression (1).
- "Depression." From the National Cancer Instittute. Available: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/depression/Patient/page3 (Accessed July 18, 2007).
- "Depression." From the National Institute of Mental Health. Available: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm (Accessed July 18, 2007).