Home → Day-to-Day Matters → Ask-The-Expert Conferences: Day-to-Day Matters → March 2003: Overcoming Depression → How long does depressioon last?

How long does depressioon last?

Page last modified on: September 11, 2008

Question from Ashleigh: Am I going to feel depressed forever? I just can't see any light at the end of the tunnel right now.: Answer —Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W.: When you're in the middle of treatment, or at the beginning of the post-treatment period, it can be impossible to see light at the end of the tunnel. When I do support groups, I always include a volunteer who was treated many years ago. Our present volunteer was treated 10 years ago, and she's a sterling example to patients that feelings of depression, fear, and vulnerability do end. No one can give an exact date, and it doesn't happen all at once. But at some point, life returns to normal. Some patients even feel that, given their experience when they get to the other side, they have a greater appreciation of life.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Overcoming Depression. Rosalind Kleban, M.S.W., Diane S. Thompson, M.D., and Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about medication and lifestyle changes that can ease depression along with to put hope, fun, and pleasure back into your life during and after breast cancer 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.

A production of LiveWorld, Inc.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Email Updates

Stay informed about current research, online events, and more.

Visit our Gift Shop!

Shop Now »

Meet the Experts

Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W. is administrative supervisor for psychosocial programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Lauder Breast Center in New York City, where she leads weekly support groups for women with early and advanced breast cancer.

Diane S. Thompson, M.D. is director of clinical research at Queen's Medical Center and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer, with a a special interest in cancer survivorship, patient-physician communication, and quality of care for women with breast cancer.