Cancer doesn’t only impact physical health. People who have received a diagnosis may feel anxiety, distress, and depression while thinking about their prognosis, their treatment, the decisions they’ll need to make, and the impact of the disease on their family and friends. They may also worry about how they’ll handle it at work, wondering if they’ll be able to work, if they should tell their employer, and if their employer can even help them.
Major depression affects approximately 15% to 25% and anxiety affects about 44% of people with cancer, equally impacting men and women as well as their families. Further, family caregivers experience significantly more anxiety than non caregivers.
Symptoms of distress and anxiety may include:
During the cancer journey from diagnosis to treatment, there are different reasons that anxiety may occur in those with cancer. There are many uncertainties, routines disrupted, new faces and many physical side effects. Others include:
A cancer diagnosis can bring on new mental health issues or heighten those that are already being dealt with.
Symptoms of depression may include:
Various reasons that depression may occur in those with cancer include:
Additionally, long-term cancer survivors may face their own mental health concerns, such as:
Cancer isn’t one disease—it’s subclassified into hundreds of types, defined by site and genetic blueprint. Given that these subtypes all require subspecialized care, people need emotional support that’s just as personalized. Without it, they can feel even more anxiety and stress, and alone on an unwanted journey. Good, open communication between people with cancer, their family caregivers, and their healthcare team helps improve well-being and quality of life.
To provide this caliber of support, employers today can offer benefits solely focused on cancer. AccessHope’s Cancer Support Team has experienced oncology nurses who are always ready to discuss tips on preparing for doctor appointments, treatment information, and mental health concerns. Employees stay with their local support system of family and friends, while getting the individual support they need at every step of the cancer journey.
Learn more about Cancer Support Team.
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. While our Cancer Support Team service offers experienced oncology nurses who can provide information, assistance, and support, they don’t deliver mental health or psychological care.