Mental health during and after cancer treatment

Waiting to start treatment

You might feel anxious and uncertain in the time leading up to your first treatment appointment. Your cancer team can tell you how your treatment will work. They can also give you an idea about possible side effects.

Having clear information from your team can help you prepare, but you may still worry about:

• waiting for treatment to start and what is happening with your cancer during this time

• how you will feel during treatment, and what side effects you will have

• whether treatment will work

This can be an especially difficult time.

Looking for more information about your cancer

It is understandable to want to look for more information about your cancer during treatment. Only look at trusted information sources, but monitor your research time. If you find yourself spending too much time, ask yourself whether it is helping you or making you feel worse.

Part of adjusting to cancer treatment is also accepting the uncertainty of it. Some people find focusing on taking it ‘one day at a time’ help them.

Ask your doctor or nurse questions if you are unsure of something. Your cancer team is there to support you during this time if you need more information. They can also direct you to trusted websites or organisations.

Attending hospital appointments

Attending hospital appointments while having treatment can be physically and mentally exhausting. And it can go on for many months. Some people say it is like running a marathon or climbing a mountain. So, it takes a lot of commitment and energy, which can be draining in the long run.

Managing your expectations of yourself and prioritising self-care during this time is important. It is normal to feel like giving up at times but try to remember that it will eventually pass for most people.

Dealing with side effects of treatment

Many people go through cancer treatment and have side effects that will go away after a while. But unfortunately for some, cancer treatment can bring new challenges. This might include:

• getting used to the debilitating effects of treatment

• having to stop working or doing house chores because of side effects

These are major life-changing experiences, and they can affect how you feel about or see yourself. You might find that how you feel affects your quality of life and your relationships with people around you.

If this has been happening to you, ask your cancer team how you could be helped best with your side effects. Tell them if you struggle with your mental health because of the side effects.

Remember, be kind to yourself while undergoing treatment and ask for support. Ask yourself what you would say to a friend in similar circumstances and apply it to yourself. For some people, it is not easy to ask for help, and they might feel they are burdening others. But remember, there are other people and organisations with the purpose of supporting you when you’re ready.

Read more about cancer support organisations

Some people start struggling with their mental health after treatment. This might be because you have less support from the hospital or friends and family. You might also have more time and space now to reflect on your experience as you are no longer in ‘survival’ mode.

It is not unusual for others to think you’re OK once treatment has finished. They may not understand your current emotional state and the psychological recovery that you are about to begin.

Some people worry that their cancer will come back after treatment. Seeing a healthcare professional regularly can be reassuring and help with these feelings. But once treatment has finished, you might see them less often. This might increase your worries about your cancer.

You might be especially anxious before your follow-up scans. This is a normal and common response. For many people, anxiety will gradually get less over time. If you struggle with worries about your cancer coming back, speak to your specialist nurse or cancer team.

• Knowing how cancer can affect your mental health can help you to take control.

• Acknowledge the difficult feelings you might experience – they are normal responses.

• Be kind to yourself. Ask yourself what you would say to a friend in your circumstances and apply it to yourself.

• You can ask for mental health support at any time. You don’t have to wait until you feel really bad to ask for help. It is helpful to form these links for when you need them.

• Think about how you coped in difficult situations before. See whether these strategies, such as doing art, dancing, gardening, or knitting, can help you now.

• Try to avoid habits that will worsen your mental health. This might be drinking too much alcohol or caffeine or staying up late and overworking.

• Milestones in your treatment are important for mental health. It can help to focus on them and celebrate once you’ve reached them. For example, your hair growing back after chemotherapy.

• Make time for self-care. Include regular physical activity at a level and pace that is safe for you. It can boost your mental health.

Read more about managing your emotions

• Get mental health support early if you feel you are not coping.

• Bring up mental health during appointments. The focus is often on the physical symptoms of cancer. Healthcare professionals might not ask you about your mental health, but they are trained for these discussions and can signpost you.

• Find a healthcare professional you trust and talk about your mental health with them. Please see the link to the Mind website below on how to talk to a health care professional.

• If you have an existing mental health problem, discuss it early on with your cancer team. Tell them what you may need to feel supported.

• Talk about your mental health with someone you trust. They will be able to support you better if they understand how you feel. 

Read more about talking to a healthcare professional about your mental health on the Mind website

• Understanding and getting information about your cancer can help some people feel more in control and cope better. Ask if there are things you don’t know or understand.

• Only use trusted and reliable resources for mental health and cancer information. Please see ‘Where to get support for mental health’.

• Online support through chat forums or helplines can be a safe space to talk.

• Support groups for your cancer type can give practical and emotional support.

• Try and support your mental health through complementary therapies. This can be massage, relaxation or mindfulness. You can also use mental health apps to help with anxiety, depression or sleeping problems.

• Counselling can be a safe space to talk things through with a professional. A counsellor or psychologist can teach you ways to deal with stress. These include help with breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation, guided imagery, problem-solving and ways of coping, hypnosis or mindfulness.

• Local support in your community that is specific to your culture can help with loneliness and isolation.

• Giving back by doing cancer charity work can feel supportive to some people.

Read more about counselling