Caring for your mental health after a mesothelioma diagnosis can improve your quality of life and positively impact your physical response to treatment. It is natural to feel sadness and anxiety about your diagnosis, but with support, you can still experience purpose and joy as your condition progresses.
By Medically Reviewed By Patricia Shelton, M.D.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may feel like everything in your life has changed. You may be overwhelmed by the side effects of treatment, having to tell people you have mesothelioma cancer, the effects of your condition on your family, and the fear of death.
Although mesothelioma treatment has traditionally focused only on physical interventions, many mesothelioma doctors recognize that mental health plays an important role in treatment outcomes. As a result, mesothelioma treatment centers often include mental health support in the treatment plan.
Mesothelioma symptoms and treatment can take a toll on your mental health, no matter how strong you are. Finding positive ways to cope is an important factor in your post-diagnosis quality of life, whether your condition worsens or improves.
Common Mental Health Conditions Associated With Mesothelioma
According to Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 35 to 40 percent of cancer patients experience a diagnosable psychiatric disorder, with higher percentages for patients with advanced cancer.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that is often in an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis.
Depressive Spectrum Disorders
Approximately 25 percent of cancer patients experience major depression. It is normal to feel sadness in response to a mesothelioma diagnosis. However, when these symptoms last at least two weeks and interfere with normal functioning, you may have developed major depression.
Symptoms of major depression include the following, according to the American Cancer Society:
- Pervasive sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
- Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
- Weight changes
- Difficulty sleeping
- Excessive sleeping
- Fatigue
- Guilt
- Feelings of worthlessness or helplessness
- Suicidal thoughts
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
Side effects from mesothelioma treatment may mimic symptoms of depression. It is important to inform your health care provider if you experience these symptoms.
Anxiety and Stress Disorders
The American Cancer Society defines anxiety as feeling uncomfortable, worried, or scared about a real situation or a situation that might occur. It is normal to feel fear after a mesothelioma diagnosis, including fear about treatment, symptoms, dying, and what may happen to your loved ones.
However, if the following symptoms persist, natural anxiety may have developed into an anxiety disorder, for which treatment is available.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include the following:
- Uncontrolled worry
- Difficulty focusing thoughts
- Difficulty with problem-solving
- Muscle tension
- Trembling
- Restlessness or feeling “on edge”
- Dry mouth
- Short temper
Post-Traumatic Stress
You may experience post-traumatic stress, a condition similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, but not as severe, according to the National Cancer Institute. This can occur as a result of the diagnosis itself or in response to mesothelioma symptoms or treatment side effects.
Being diagnosed with mesothelioma involves multiple stressful events, beginning with receiving the diagnosis. Other stressful events include painful treatment, bad news following diagnostic testing, financial distress, and progression of symptoms.
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress include the following:
- Repeated frightening thoughts
- Distraction
- Overexcitement
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feelings of detachment from self or reality
These symptoms can be triggered by neutral events, such as a smell or sound that reminds you of chemotherapy. You are less likely to develop post-traumatic stress if you have the following:
- Strong social support
- An open relationship with your health care providers
- Knowledge about the type of mesothelioma you have and what to expect during treatment
Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment disorders are characterized by excessive distress. They affect 20 to 25 percent of cancer patients according to Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences. Distress is a strong emotional reaction to the multiple stressors associated with cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, distress can include the following emotions:
- Sadness
- Fear
- Anger
- Helplessness
- Hopelessness
- Loss of control
- Crisis of faith
- Panic
A mesothelioma diagnosis may cause you to feel weak, vulnerable, exposed, or unsafe. Some distress is normal. It becomes an adjustment disorder when you experience such symptoms as the following:
- An overwhelming sense of dread
- Sadness to the point of feeling unable to complete treatment
- Inability to cope
- Concentration and memory problems
- Pervasive hopelessness
- Non-stop thoughts about mesothelioma
- Crisis of faith
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feelings of worthlessness
One of the most important defenses against adjustment disorders is a supportive cancer care team that makes you feel safe. Even if you think your feelings are minor, you should feel comfortable expressing them to your health care providers.
Suicide
Depression, anxiety, and stress may lead to suicide without treatment. The suicide risk in cancer patients was 4.4 times higher than in the general population in a study published in Nature Communications.
A study by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that the rate of suicide in cancer patients is decreasing. While the study could not directly link this to supportive care, it may be correlated. Cancer patients today have better access than ever to palliative care, symptom management, hospice care, and mental health care.
Somatic Symptoms
The fear of developing symptoms can cause symptoms to occur. For example, phobias related to chemotherapy may lead to induced anticipatory nausea and vomiting. Other somatic effects may include increased pain intensity and magnified disability. This can adversely impact treatment outcomes and decrease your quality of life.
The effects of somatization may include the following:
- Decreased treatment adherence
- Delayed recovery
- Poorer outcomes
- Reduced sense of well-being
- Exacerbation of other mental health symptoms
Neurocognitive Disorders
Delirium or confused states of mind are common as cancer progresses. This can also occur as a side effect of chemotherapy, commonly known as “chemo brain.” According to the Mayo Clinic, the effects of chemo brain may include the following:
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating or learning
- Mental fogginess
- Short attention span
- Short-term memory deficits
- Taking longer than usual to complete routine tasks
Demoralization
Demoralization occurs when you feel hopeless and helpless. It may accompany a sense of failure and an inability to cope. Symptoms of demoralization include the following:
- Higher levels of sadness
- Increased physical symptoms
- Reduced well-being
- Fewer leisure activities
- Increased worry and preoccupation with mesothelioma
- Loss of meaning
- Loss of hope
- Reduced dignity
- Sense of worthlessness
- Suicidal ideation
If you are experiencing demoralization, you should report your feelings to your health care provider and reach out to your friends and family for support.
Sexual Dysfunction
Changes in sexual functioning affect 25 to 40 percent of cancer patients, according to Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences. This can stem from psychological and physical changes that occur as a result of your mesothelioma diagnosis. The psychological factors may stem from the following:
- Body image changes due to weight loss
- Depression
- Anxiety
Physical factors that may impact sexual functioning include the following:
- Effects of systemic chemotherapy and radiation on the reproductive tract
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Progression of mesothelioma
You do not have to resign to permanently reduced sexual functioning because of a cancer diagnosis. Many of the physical changes are temporary. The psychological factors can be addressed by having open discussions with your partner and your health care provider.
Grief Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
When you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may experience a feeling of loss of the following:
- Longevity
- Well-being
- Bodily functions
- Future plans
- Opportunities
The natural human response to loss is grief. Grief occurs in stages as your brain’s method of protecting you from experiencing too many overwhelming emotions at once.
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, grief occurs in five stages. These stages do not always occur in order, and you may vacillate between stages throughout the process.