What is the condition?
Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs.
Cancer can sometimes spread to other areas of the body this process is known as metastasis. 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
The most common types of cancer are:
- Breast Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Bowel Cancer
How might cancer affect your mental health?
Cancer affects different people in different ways, but some of the common feelings can be:
- shock
- anger
- guilt
- frustration
- loss or lack of identity and direction in life
- lack of confidence or feeling useless
- hopelessness
- sadness
- isolation
- anxiety
- emptiness
- feeling mentally weak and fatigued
Sometimes, feelings and experiences of living with cancer can develop into mental health problems. Some of the mental health problems can include:
- anxiety
- depression
- suicidal thoughts
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) around treatment or diagnosis experiences
- feeling like you are disconnected from reality, sometimes called dissociation.
Treatments for Cancer and mental health
- The mental health charity Mind has more information on these mental health problems. This includes treatment and self-care information –
- Search Results - Mind
- https://youtu.be/OgbBMB00tXs
Online chat for people who are affected - Cancer Chat (cancerresearchuk.org)
- Emotional, financial and physical help for people with cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support
- Macmillan support - https://www.macmillan.org.uk/ and contact number 08088080000