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More depressed at end of treatment normal?

Page last modified on: August 18, 2008
Question from job: Is it normal to become more depressed as you approach the end of your treatment. I feel much more afraid at this point.
Answers —David Spiegel, Ph.D.: Surprisingly, it is. The worst time is when you are told you have cancer, but the second worst is when active treatment ends. One of my patients found herself walking around in tears at the end of therapy. You feel more vulnerable when you are no longer doing anything active to fight the disease. You are sitting around waiting to see if it comes back. You are also no longer surrounded by other cancer patients, techs, nurses and doctors who understand what it is like to go through it. You are thrust back in the normal world and feel kind of isolated.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: www.breastcancer.org offers a lot of information about how to move on after your treatment is over.

On Wednesday, October 18, 2000, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Feelings about Breast Cancer. David Spiegel, Ph.D. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about the emotional effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

David Spiegel, Ph.D.David Spiegel, Ph.D. is professor and associate chairman of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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