Mental Health for Young Cancer Warriors
- According to a meta-analysis of 52 clinical studies published in JAMA Pediatrics, “childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors were 57% more likely to develop depression, 29% more likely to develop anxiety, and 56% more likely to develop psychotic disorders in the years following treatment compared to their siblings or healthy members of a control group.”
- “Anne with an E” actress Miranda McKeon, 21, is one young breast cancer warrior who’s opened up about struggling with her mental health as a result of her cancer battle. She says “people need to know that once we are faced with something difficult, there is no ‘going back to normal.'”
- It’s important to know struggling with things like grief, anxiety and depression because of a cancer battle is normal and understandable. And, just like we saw from the research above, mental health concerns should not end as soon as a cancer warrior is done treating their disease. Mental health well-being should be a lifetime commitment.
- There are many ways to address mental health issues as a cancer survivor including: Meditation, practicing mindfulness, talking with a therapist, joining a support group and medication, such as antidepressants.
According to a meta-analysis of 52 clinical studies published in JAMA Pediatrics, “childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors were 57% more likely to develop depression, 29% more likely to develop anxiety, and 56% more likely to develop psychotic disorders in the years following treatment compared to their siblings or healthy members of a control group.”
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Treatment efforts including chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and proton therapy helped McKeon achieve remission status, but she still takes ongoing medications and likely has to keep prioritizing her mental health.
In a blog post entitled “Aftermath,” McKeon detailed some of the mental effects of her cancer battle.
“I struggle with an overwhelming fear of recurrence. Most nights I take Xanax or Ativan, as my anxiety increases before I fall asleep,” she wrote. “I wonder what my fertility looks like after completing treatment and if I will have to complete more cycles to freeze my eggs.
“I am in therapy to deal with the trauma of this past year + adjust to what my new normal looks like.”
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McKeon has done a wonderful job acknowledging the hardship she’s faced both physically and mentally while also finding positivity in the life she’s been given. She’s an inspiring illustration of moving forward after facing cancer at a young age as well as a crucial example of how much the disease can impact a young person.
“People need to know that once we are faced with something difficult, there is no ‘going back to normal,'” she wrote. “For me, this has been an unimaginably wearing reality to face.
“A part of me will grieve the loss of my old life until the end of time. And at the same time, there are ways to incorporate this experience into my life that can be beautiful, life- enhancing, educational, and help lots of people.”
Handling Depression as a Cancer Warrior
The physical challenges of a cancer battle might be expected for some, but the mental struggles may catch some cancer warriors off guard. But it’s important to know struggling with things like grief, anxiety and depression because of a cancer battle is very normal and understandable.
Dr. Scott Irwin, a psychiatrist and Director of Supportive Care Services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, says cancer patients need to talk to their care team about their mental health.
Mental Health: Overcoming Depression
"We all get depressed from time to time, have a sad day, feeling down and blue that's part of normal human emotion, part of normal life," Dr. Irwin said.
"Some of us, when we're dealing with difficult things such as a diagnosis of cancer, may be sad or down or blue more often. And sometimes it gets to the point where that depression can be a little bit overwhelming, and we help them through therapy, through non-medication interventions."
Dealing With Grief Related to Health Problems
You might feel like your mind is the least of your worries while fighting cancer, but it's important to know just how much your mental well-being can affect your health as a whole.
"Actually, there's data that if you have extra stress or depression that you may not recover or you have a higher risk or recurrence," Dr. Irwin said. "So… in treating the depression, we're actually impacting the cancer care outcomes."
RELATED: Learn to Forgive Yourself Dealing With the Psychological Aspects of Cancer
And, just like we saw from the research above, mental health concerns should not end as soon as a cancer warrior is done treating their disease. Mental health wellbeing should be a lifetime commitment, and it’s important to remember that your past experiences such as a battle with cancer may still impact your mental health later down the line.
There are many ways to address mental health issues as a cancer survivor. Some of the options include:
- Meditation: According to The ASCO Post (a product of the American Society of Clinical Oncology), “several studies have documented the value of meditation in managing both psychological and physical symptoms associated with cancer and its treatments. But it is important for patients considering meditation to note that regular, ongoing practice is essential for sustained benefits.”
A Guided Meditation for the SurvivorNet Community
- Practicing mindfulness: Jon Kabat Zinn, founder of the eight-week stress-reduction program Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) that has entered the mainstream of health care defines mindfulness as "awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.”
- Talking with a therapist: "People that are struggling with coping with the experience, coping with body image should reach out to their doctors, find a therapist in the community," says Dr. Irwin.
- Joining a support group: Dr. Amy McNally, gynecologic oncologist with Minnesota Oncology, encourages her patients to consider joining support groups: "You don't have to share a thing. You can just sit and listen or you can be part of the conversation and offer your thoughts. And it can be different every time you go"
- Medication, such as antidepressants: When a cancer warrior and their care team decide medication is necessary to treat a mental health issue, it’s important there is a comprehensive conversation about what medication would be best for them. Looking into side effect profiles and genetic testing can help doctors make medication decisions. "I often try to choose medications with the lowest side effect profile," Dr. Irwin said. "If patients are getting hormonal therapy, there's particular antidepressants that we can't use because they may lower the effectiveness of that hormonal therapy and so we choose antidepressants that don't impact the cancer care."
RELATED: How Can Genetic Testing Help Determine the Right Form of Mental Health Treatment?
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