How I Help Mesothelioma Patients Identify Depression
Health & Wellness
Written by Dana Nolan | Edited by Amy Edel
There are some challenges in diagnosing or identifying depressive symptoms in ourselves because symptoms of depression can be hard to recognize. As a psychotherapist who has worked with mesothelioma patients for many years, hearing certain statements from patients leads me to explore depression as a diagnosis.
Statements I’ve Heard in Counseling
- “I don’t feel like doing anything I used to enjoy even when I’m not feeling sick.”
- “I can’t motivate myself to do anything fun.”
- “I cry at the drop of a hat.”
- “I’m sleeping a lot more than I used to.”
Experiencing symptoms of depression when you have mesothelioma is common even if you’ve never had depression before. While there are no studies that specifically report the incidence of depression in mesothelioma patients, it’s reasonable to apply the statistics on the prevalence of depression in all cancers, which are between 20 to 50%, to people with mesothelioma. Research indicates patients with more advanced cancer or who have a poorer prognosis have a higher incidence of depression.
Are These Symptoms Mesothelioma or Depression?
Some of the diagnostic symptoms of depression are similar to mesothelioma symptoms or side effects of its treatment. And some depressive symptoms are “negative symptoms” such as lack of appetite, poor motivation or social withdrawal. Symptoms like these can be “invisible” because it’s harder to notice the lack of something more than the presence of something uncomfortable.
Symptoms to Look Out for
- Fatigue/lack of energy
- Low motivation
- No interest in pleasurable activities
- Not enough sleep or too much sleep
- Poor concentration
- Sadness or tearfulness
- Social isolation
- Thinking about death or suicide
- Thoughts of hopelessness/worthlessness
- Weight loss or weight gain
If you have had several of these symptoms for more than 2 weeks, it’s a good idea to discuss this with your physician or a mental health professional. They can determine if your symptoms meet the criteria for a diagnosis of depression. They may also make some treatment recommendations depending on the type and severity of your symptoms.
Where to Seek Help for Mesothelioma-Related Depression
Depression is quite treatable with a variety of modalities. Unfortunately, depression tends to be underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated. However, there are several great options to treat depression.
Antidepressant medication is typically helpful to reduce the symptoms of depression although it can take several weeks before the benefits of the medication are felt. Primary care physicians, medical oncologists and psychiatrists may prescribe antidepressants for people with mesothelioma.
Seeking counseling with a mental health professional who has expertise in working with cancer patients is another good option for getting correctly diagnosed with depression. It can also help with learning strategies to manage the symptoms.Peer support in an individual setting or support group can be a good adjunct to the above treatment options if a person with mesothelioma is struggling with depression. Connecting with others who are experiencing the same diagnosis can help people feel less alone and can validate many of the challenging thoughts and feelings that mesothelioma patients can experience.
