Mental Health After Cancer

mental health after cancerFear, anxiety, sadness, guilt, anger: you’re likely to have experienced one or more of these following your diagnosis. Cancer is a new, unexpected, and unwanted, part of your life that can make you feel out of control. All whilst trying to maintain your career, family, and friendships, as normal.

A 2014 study in The Lancet of over 21,000 patients showed that a diagnosis of major depression was more likely in patients who were younger. One in three people with cancer will experience a mental health problem such as depression or anxiety before, during or after treatment, according to a study by the Mental Health Foundation. It found that mental health problems often arise at the very end of cancer treatment, when patients expect to recover and people around you think you’ll be “getting back to normal”. This can make you feel even more isolated and lonely.

However, there is help available: from your consultant or GP, charities such as Mental Health Foundation, Mind and Maggie’s , or one-to-one therapy or peer group support. Everyday responsibilities can be hard so try to be realistic about what you can manage and draw on those around you – friends, family, employers – for support. You could also take a look at our Shine events for meet ups and workshops in your area.

  • Take a look at our videos which include the psychological effects of cancer, how to support a loved one, and the strategies for coping with anxiety.
  • Our podcasts feature cancer survivors and their experience with anxiety, depression and PTSD and how they coped with the emotional trauma cancer brought into their lives.
  •  Read our blogs from those living with cancer and their support networks on how they deal with the emotional impact of the diagnosis.

Podcasts on mental health

Videos on mental health

What is anxiety?

What psychological effects can a cancer diagnosis have?

What strategies for coping can be useful?

How can we support our family and friends after our own diagnosis?

How can we help friends and colleagues to accept our diagnosis?

Mental health articles from our blog

Ben’s Story for Men’s Mental Health Month

Ben’s Story for Men’s Mental Health Month

June is Men's Health Month! We caught up with Shine member, Ben, to talk about his experience managing his mental health during treatment, how he keeps calm in moments of doubt, and what makes his day shine brighter. Read on to find out more... How has your cancer...

When you can’t count on family

When you can’t count on family

In this blog, Emily* shares her experience of family estrangement and cancer treatment. Estrangement doesn't often get talked about but we're sure you'll agree it's an important topic. If you're one of those people looking at the close, supportive families at the...

When life hit pause: how I rediscovered my passion

When life hit pause: how I rediscovered my passion

In this guest blog post, Shine member Becky writes about how her cancer diagnosis has helped her return to her love of art. Before the big C decided to pay me a visit, I worked full time as an HR Officer. I liked it OK. If I had to do an office job - which I never...

And breathe! Talking breathwork and cancer

And breathe! Talking breathwork and cancer

Louisa Rasmussen is a breath, relaxation and life coach who has been living with secondary breast cancer since April 2017. In this post she writes about her experiences of breathwork and meditation, and the importance of our own breath. “As long as you are breathing...

Getting the right kind of sweat on: exercise after cancer

Getting the right kind of sweat on: exercise after cancer

Dr Charlotte Squires was diagnosed with advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2018, at 30. She finished treatment in March 2019 and was able to return to work in the NHS. In this post, she writes about her experience of starting to exercise regularly after cancer – and while...

Gaming to stay alive: how a console got me through cancer

Gaming to stay alive: how a console got me through cancer

In this guest blog post, Shine community member Steven Bracewell writes about his experience of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and how it motivated him to start his organisation Gamers Beat Cancer. I’ve been an avid gamer ever since I got my first computer, the Commodore...

Ten things I’ve learned in ten years of cancer

Ten things I’ve learned in ten years of cancer

In our latest blog, one of our founding Directors, Ceinwen, writes about what she's learned in the ten years since she was diagnosed with cancer. On 4 February it will be exactly ten years since I was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It’s also World Cancer...

My post-cancer PTSD time-bomb

My post-cancer PTSD time-bomb

In this guest blog post, Shine community member Jen shares her experiences of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after breast cancer, and how these feelings affect her upcoming brain surgery for an unrelated condition. It seems that having cancer – and more...

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