Shannen Doherty Endures 'Warrior Fatigue'
- Shannen Doherty, 52, is currently battling metastatic breast cancer. But, thankfully, she’s determined to maintain her strength through rest amid her fight with the disease.
- Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. It went into remission in 2017 but returned as stage 4 cancer in 2019. Her breast cancer has since spread to her brain causing her to undergo surgery to remove a tumor in her brain.
- Metastatic breast cancer, also called “stage four” breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, beyond the breasts to other parts of the body. There is technically no cure, but advancements in treatments can dramatically improve outcomes and that is something to be hopeful for.
- Challenging oneself can actually help people facing cancer, chronic disease, or other problems to develop resilience, which is an essential coping tool. However, it’s important to understand that rest and recover is also a huge part of getting through tough times.
- Dr. Samantha Boardman tells SurvivorNet that the process of pushing oneself to try new things is one of the “three wellsprings of vitality.” The other two are connecting with others and contributing to the lives of people around you. “Those are the cores of vitality, and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman says.
Doherty, best known for her role as Brenda Walsh in “Beverly Hills: 90210,” shared some powerful words on her Instagram story this weekend, insisting “warrior fatigue” is real.”
Read More
She concluded, “But tonight, I strip off my armor and find a new place to rest.”
It’s unclear if these are Doherty’s own words or if they are an excerpt from something. However, one thing is for sure—the animal lover and activist isn’t giving up when times get tough and she knows at times she needs to let her body rest.
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, titled “Battle fatigue of Covid 19 warriors – Heal the healers,” battle fatigue ( or shell shock) “is a combat stress reaction resulting in adverse behaviors because of stress from battle.”
“There may be emotional, physical, mental and behavioral reactions because of this stress,” the study authors explain.
Meanwhile, Military OneSource describes combat stress or battle fatigue as a “common response to the mental and emotional strain that can result from dangerous and traumatic experiences. It is a natural reaction to the wear and tear of the body and mind after extended and demanding operations.”
Military OneSource, suggests anyone dealing with combat fatigue to focus on your health by eating better, exercising, and getting enough rest, which The National Sleep Foundation advises as between seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
“Sleep allows your body to refresh, replenish, and rebuild. It helps your immune system work better and keeps you mentally sharp. Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep each night, but talk to your doctor about what’s right for you,” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains.
Remember, proper rest and relaxation are key when it comes to overcoming obstacles. Don’t push yourself too hard. Understand that it’s okay to take breaks when needed and take time to engage in relaxing activities that you love.
A good night’s sleep is vital for your physical and mental recovery, but relaxation techniques are also useful. For example, practices like meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can aid in managing stress.
You Just Have to Let it Out: Survivor Evelyn Reyes-Beato on Healing Emotionally After Cancer
Shannen Doherty’s Breast Cancer Battle
Shannen Doherty first received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 after she discovered a lump in her breast. For treatments the first time around, she underwent hormone therapy, a single mastectomy (the removal of all breast tissue from one breast), chemotherapy and radiation.
Then in 2017, Doherty was deemed to be in remission, however, the cancer returned just two years later in 2019. This time, her diagnosis was metastatic, or stage four, breast cancer.
There is technically no cure for metastatic breast cancer, but that doesn’t mean people can’t live good, long lives with this stage of disease, thanks to hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs and immunotherapy, as well as a combination of treatments.
Doherty took to Instagram at the start of last year to recap how her cancer fight is going. She underwent her first round of radiation to her head on Jan. 12, 2023, followed by brain surgery to remove and biopsy a tumor on Jan. 16, 2023. The surgery she underwent is called a craniotomy.
Expert Resources On Overcoming Adversity
- A Grand Goal: 4 Steps to Overcoming Adversity
- Resilience: Staying Positive Despite Adversity
- ‘Adversity And The Art of Happiness:’ How Hardship Makes You Even Stronger
- SurvivorNetTV Presents: ‘True North’ — A Story of Formidable Obstacles and Unwavering Determination
- Mental Health and Cancer — The Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
“It’s a procedure to cut out a tumor and it can be metastasized or a tumor that started someplace else like the breasts and went to the brain especially if the tumor is causing symptoms or if it’s large,” Dr. Kimberly Hoang, a board-certified neurosurgeon at Emory University School of Medicine, explained.
Several neurosurgeons tell SurvivorNet that the procedure can allow patients with cancer in their brain to live longer, more vibrant lives, and this appears to be the case with Doherty seen smiling this weekend during her mom’s birthday celebrations.
“A couple of decades ago, to have a brain metastasis was a very bad prognosis for patients. They didn’t live for more than a couple of months, so it was a very terminal thing. Thanks to a lot of advancements in microsurgery we do and radiation, patients are living longer,” Dr. Hoang said.
The Pathways To Resilience
Challenging oneself can actually help people facing cancer, chronic disease, or other problems to develop resilience, which is an essential coping tool. However, it’s also importance to understand that rest and recovery also plays a huge role in overcoming a health battle.
That process of pushing oneself to try new things is one of the “three wellsprings of vitality,” according to Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychologist. The other two are connecting with others and contributing to the lives of people around you.
“Those are the cores of vitality, and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman explains.
Mental Health Understanding the Three Wellsprings of Vitality
These pathways can help someone develop the strength needed to survive or manage a difficult situation, but they all come back to having a positive outlook.
According to Dr. Boardman, these three wellsprings of vitality are:
- Connecting. This involves how you’re connecting with others and having meaningful interactions. It involves being a good listener and being engaged with the people around you who you care about.
- Contribution. How are you adding value to the people around you? Are you helping them in ways that feel meaningful to them? Basically, this entails contributing/engaging with others in a meaningful way.
- Feeling challenged. Being “positively challenged” could involve learning something new (perhaps by taking a new class or reading an interesting book) and expanding your mind in some way.
“Those are the cores of vitality, and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman said.
Responding to Stress: How to Cope With Complex & Changing Emotions
When a stressful life event occurs, people may react with a range of different (and quickly changing) emotions. This is completely normal.
“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”
In this video, Dr. Plutchik is speaking mostly about how people react after a cancer diagnosis which can be a huge range of emotions from fear to anger to determination. However, the conclusion remains the same no matter what stressor someone may be dealing with: your emotions are valid and seeking mental health help may look different for every person.
“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik explains. “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.”
Dr. Plutchik explains that the patient, or person going through the stressful event, should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support whether that’s a therapist, friends and family, or both to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions.
If a stressful event is affecting how you think and feel, it may be time to seek some sort of mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking out a support group, or many other approaches
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- What can I do if my emotions begin to feel overwhelming?
- Are there approaches that don’t involve traditional therapy?
- Should I consider medication such as antidepressants?
- What are the potential side effects should I decide to begin medication?
More Stories of Resilience
Shannen Doherty is an amazing example of resilience. Sometimes hearing stories like hers can help people faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, cancer or otherwise, move forward with bravery and strength.
And if inspiration is what you need, SurvivorNet has you covered. Time after time, we get to get to share stories of resilience because there’s no shortage of brave cancer warriors holding onto hope in the face of adversity and achieving amazing things.
Charged The Eduardo Garcia Story is an award-winning SurvivorNetTV documentary following chef Eduardo Garcia’s incredible journey overcoming testicular cancer.
SurvivorNetTV Presents: ‘Charged’ Setbacks Help Chef Discover Meaning and Connection
Garcia was on a hunting and fishing trip through the Montana backcountry in 2011 when he stumbled upon what he thought were the remains of a bear in a tin can that ended up being an old electrical junction box. When he attempted to remove its claw with his knife, he received an extremely severe electrical shock of 2400 volts. He lost an arm and nearly his life.
But his health struggles didn’t end there. At the hospital, doctors also found that Garcia had testicular cancer. He needed to start chemotherapy immediately before beginning reconstructive surgeries.
Thankfully, Garcia beat the disease and has since returned to cooking up some delectable eats using a prosthetic arm. He’s a true warrior at heart who’s happy to be in remission and grateful for the people who helped to get him there.
“Everyone that has encouraged me, and supported me, and forgiven me, and held me accountable has brought me to today and how I make my life moving forward,” he said.
Another inspiring cancer warrior SurvivorNet has gotten to know is Lilly Bumpus. She’s a pediatric cancer survivor who was born with Ewing sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that is often found in children and young adults.
And last, but certainly not least, best-selling author Alex Echols is yet another cancer warrior whose story has enthralled and moved us. He is a late-stage lymphoma survivor who, as humble as can be, credits his resilience to his upbringing in a violence-ridden neighborhood he’s since left.
His treatment included high-dose chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant, also known as a stem cell transplant not an easy journey by any means. But through it all, Echols remained optimistic as ever.
“Even during some of the most challenging days and nights, when I didn’t have any energy, I looked for things to be grateful for,” he said. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been an optimist my entire life, and I’ve always seen things as the glass half full.”
How a Tough Childhood Helped One Young Man Face His Greatest Obstacle: Late-Stage Lymphoma
Now, he’s on the other side of his cancer journey and sharing what he’s learned with the world through his work. He’s an emotional intelligence leadership-based trainer and the bestselling co-author of “The Two-Week Notice: How to Discover Your Passion, Quit Your Job + Impact Our World.”
Dr. Zuri Murrell, an oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, says positivity plays a role in role in survival rates when it comes to cancer patients.
“I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life,” he told SurvivorNet.
So whether you’re faced with cancer, some other disease, a disability or any other type of adversity, remember that while you can’t control the obstacles and uncertainties of life, you can control how you respond to them.
SurvivorNetTV Presents: Resilient Learning to Overcome
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
