Advocating for Your Mental Health
- Grammy-winning singer Melissa Etheridge, 62, says when she was offered pharmaceutical drugs to help her with depression following her diagnosis, she refused. She has long been an advocate for mental health and addiction awareness, especially once her son died from opioids.
- Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast in 2004. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy to treat the cancer.
- Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology and an advocate for cancer patients to prioritize their mental health, told SurvivorNet, “We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes.”
- Research published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences found that “35 to 40 percent of cancer patients have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder,” patients battling late-stage cancer tend to face even more significant mental health challenges.
- Anxiety is triggered by many stressors, such as a diagnosis or the fear that your cancer will return. Experts tell SurvivorNet that tips for coping with anxiety may include finding hobbies that bring you joy or rationally managing your extreme thoughts.
- Dr. Asher Aladjem, a physician psychiatrist at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, recommends that cancer patients address all of their symptoms one by one with a mental health professional. This can go a long way in making treatment a more tolerable experience on your journey.
RELATED: See how a social worker can help your mental health journey.
Read MoreHowever, a point Etheridge raised regarding mental health among breast cancer patients is one SurvivorNet feels does not get enough attention. After a cancer diagnosis, patients often are consumed with emotions, and managing them all can be a daunting task.
“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik explained. “And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik previously explained to SurvivorNet.
According to Mental Health America, “56% of adults with a mental illness receive no treatment, and over 27 million individuals experiencing a mental illness are going untreated.”
While millions of people have unmet mental health needs, the need for mental health resources is even greater among cancer patients and their families.
Research published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences found that “35 to 40 percent of cancer patients have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder,” and the number of people experiencing mental health challenges is “higher among cancer patients with advanced stages of cancer and in palliative care settings.”
RELATED: Struggling with ‘Scanxiety?’ See Tips to Best Cope
According to Dr. Asher Aladjem, a physician psychiatrist at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, addressing your symptoms one by one with a mental health professional can go a long way in making treatment a more tolerable experience.
“Patients need to know they’re entitled to get the whole spectrum of services, and the mental health service is a very important one, I think,” Dr. Aladiem tells SurvivorNet.
Helping Patients Cope with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- How a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Impacts the Marriages of African American Women; Plus, Tips for Coping
- One-Third of Breast Cancer Patients Experience Temporary or Lasting Depression Symptoms During & After Treatment, New Research Shows; How to Prioritize Your Mental Health
- Rita Ora Has Anxiety After Mom’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis — And She’s Not Alone
- Access to Good Information is Crucial After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Etheridge’s Inspiring Cancer Journey
Etheridge’s diagnosis came after she discovered a lump in her left breast. A biopsy confirmed her breast cancer diagnosis. She underwent a lumpectomy to remove the 4-centimeter tumor.
A lumpectomy is surgery to remove cancer or abnormal tissue from the breast. It’s also known as breast-conserving surgery because, unlike mastectomy, only the tumor and some surrounding tissues are removed.
WATCH: Should I Have a Lumpectomy or Mastectomy?
Her cancer had spread to the lymph nodes, and her surgeon removed 14 of them. The surgery was followed by chemotherapy, which involves giving the cycles of certain chemo drugs closer together. She then received radiation treatment involving energy beams such as X-rays aimed at cancer cells to kill them.
In 2005, the singing cancer warrior bravely performed at the Grammy Awards while still bald from chemotherapy.
She said the morning of the awards show, she had undergone radiation treatment and felt weak.
“I remember halfway through, thinking in my mind, ‘Oh my God,’” Etheridge said of her memorable yet inspiring performance.
Etheridge says her cancer journey positively impacted her mental health in retrospect. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet that cancer patients’ emotions can vary before, during, and after a diagnosis.
Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology who also advocates for cancer patients to prioritize their mental health, told SurvivorNet, “We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes.”
“So, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival. If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities,” Dr. Chase adds.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you find yourself struggling with a diagnosis or helping a loved one cope with their emotions, consider asking your doctor the following questions:
- How can I go about improving my outlook/mental health?
- Are there any activities I can do to encourage positive feelings?
- When should I seek other interventions if I’m still struggling?
- What are the steps to finding a different therapist if the one I’m using is not working out?
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