Cancer and Depression

The diagnosis of cancer easily sounds like a death sentence when delivered by the grim faced and somber physician. Initial shock gives way to combinations of fear, sadness and anger. This adjustment reaction needs to ride out its course and will do so safely when there's a spiritual belief in possibilities and loving friends and family immediately at hand.

It can, however, go on to become a frank medical depression or major depression, at that point it begins to be debilitating in the day in and day out set of symptoms such as loss of appetite, energy, pleasures, sleep, concentration, along with a sense of hopelessness, uselessness and futility.

It is very important to make this diagnosis however difficult it is in the face of the so-called understandable sadness of cancer and some of the medical symptoms of the cancer itself or the anti-cancer medications. Appropriate counseling and anti-depressant medication can be essentially life saving to such patients and can also make possible the kind of emotional and spiritual counseling that is so crucial to contending successfully with the cancer experience.