Managing Mental Health as a Cancer Survivor
In early 1994 I was diagnosed with an incurable blood cancer called multiple myeloma.
I underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, between my diagnosis in early 1994 and my oncologist telling me that “we can do nothing more for you.” That was in September of 1997.
A cancer diagnosis and years of conventional cancer therapies can do a number on your mental health. Though I am now in complete remission from my incurable cancer, I am saddled with PTSD, fear of relapse, anxiety and much more. I’ve never been formally diagnosed with any specific mental illness but I exhibit many of the symptoms discussed in the studies linked below.
While conventional oncology may be able to stabilize your cancer, traditional cancer therapies such as chemo and radiation can damage your mental health causing:
- Depression
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction (chemobrain aka brain damage)
and much more.
My point is, surviving cancer is about much more than being “cancer-free.” To put it another way, what good is it to reach complete-remission (cancer-free status) if you develop a host of emotional problems doing so???
Conventional oncology does not study the long-term and late stage side effects of FDA approved “standard-of-care” protocols. Chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction, aka Chemobrain, for example, continues to be disputed as a side effect of chemotherapy in by some oncologists.
My experience combined with years of research has identified a number of evidence-based but non-conventional therapies shown to treat the cancer survivor’s depression, anxiety, brain damage, PTSD and more.
I can attest to the efficacy of the many evidence-based, non-toxic mental health therapies because I have been doing them, practicing them all for years now. I am still easily-startled but I am happy to report that my depression, anxiety, PTSD, chemobrain, etc. have all greatly improved.
Please don’t expect your board-certified oncologist to acknowledge, much less treat, your cancer-induced mental health issues. The evidence-based but non-conventional therapies that I pursue daily/weekly, are evidence-based but are not FDA approved.
All of these categories contain therapies shown to manage my depression, anxiety, my PTSD, etc. I am not saying that conventional therapies do not have a place in the armamentarium of mental health therapies. I am saying two things:
First and foremost, I use/pursue evidence-based, non-conventional therapies to manage my cancer survivor mental health challenges and
Secondly, I urge you to also pursue evidence-based, non-convetional therapies to manage any mental health challenges you have before you pursue conventional medications.
Please scroll down the page and look for one or more blog posts that may offer research and evidence-based therapies to help you manage your mental health as a cancer survivor.
Scroll down the page, post a question or a comment and I will reply to you ASAP.
Thanks and hang in there,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading
- Mind-Body Therapy for Multiple Myeloma…Marriage!?
- Radical Multiple Myeloma Remission- Am I Cured?
- Ballooning Myeloma Survivor population in the U.S.
Depression and anxiety in long-term cancer survivors compared with spouses and healthy controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis
“Findings: Our search returned 144 results, 43 were included in the main analysis: for comparisons with healthy controls, 16 assessed depression and ten assessed anxiety; of the comparisons with spouses, 12 assessed depression and five assessed anxiety…
The prevalence of depression was 11·6% in the pooled sample of 51 381 cancer survivors and 10·2% in 217 630 healthy controls. The prevalence of anxiety was 17·9% in 48 964 cancer survivors and 13·9% in 226 467 healthy controls…”
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Cancer
Aspects of the cancer experience that might trigger PTSD include:
- The diagnosis
- Pain from the cancer or other physical issues
- Tests and treatments
- Test results
- Long hospital stays or treatments
- The cancer’s return or fear of its return
AYA Cancer Survivors Experience Mental Health Impact Long After Treatment
“Survivors experienced a 30% higher rate of outpatient mental-health visits compared to the control group. Most visits were linked to anxiety disorders, which supports findings from a previous study that found that survivors had a 60% higher risk of anxiety and adjustment disorders than their siblings…”
Chemotherapy-induced Heart Failure- Treating My Depression
How Can A Person Maintain Mental Health Through Exercise?
Cancer, Mind-Body Therapies and Sense of Purpose
Multiple Myeloma Side Effects- PTSD, Mind-Body Therapy
“Forest Bathing” + Hiking = Mind-Body Cancer Therapy-
Multiple Myeloma-10 Mind-Body Cancer Therapies Better than Chemo-
Multiple Myeloma Diagnosis, Exercise as Mind-Body Therapy
Alzheimer’s, Cognitive Function, Mind-Body Therapy
Multiple Myeloma Survival- Positive Thinking, Mind-Body Therapy
Mind-Body Therapy Alters Gene Expression Reducing Risk of Myeloma Relapse
Surviving Multiple Myeloma But w/ PTSD? Mind-Body Therapy
Mind-Body Therapy- “We’re In This Together” Fighting Spirit
Multiple Myeloma Patients can Manage Depression w/ Non-Toxic Therapy
ADT for Prostate Cancer and Risk of Dementia and Depression
Reduce Brain Inflammation, Reduce Risk of Depression, Risk of Suicide
Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s, Depression, etc- Therapies to Slow Decline
Coffee Reduces Cancer Risk, Improves Brain Health, and Smells Great!