Depression, anxiety and stress

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer you may experience a range of emotions, including stress, sadness, fear and anger. If you are feeling these emotions intensely – and for long stretches of time – you may be experiencing depression.

Depression is common amongst people with breast cancer. In fact, up to 50 per cent of people with early breast cancer experience depression or anxiety within the first year of their diagnosis.

Depression can make it hard to carry out your day-to-day tasks. It can also make you feel like you don’t want to participate in activities that you usually enjoy. 

Why am I feeling this way?

When you have breast cancer, there can be many changes in your life that may make you feel stressed or anxious. This may lead to depression.

These life changes may include: 

• coming to terms with the diagnosis
• wondering “why me?”
• dealing with uncertainty and imagining the worst
• dealing with tiredness, pain and other side effects of treatment
• dealing with practicalities such as family, work and financial adjustments
• dealing with the responses of your partner, children, family and friends to your diagnosis.

Finding help

Depression is an illness. It is treatable and the earlier you seek help, the quicker your recovery will be. If you are feeling anxious, or think you may have depression, talk to your GP right away.

Some GPs have specialist training and can provide psychological treatment. If not, your GP can refer you to a specialist such as a psychologist, social worker, counsellor or psychiatrist.

Talk to your doctor about whether you are eligible for treatment under a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan. This will entitle you to up to 10 Medicare-subsidised appointments with a clinical psychologist, appropriately trained GP, social worker or clinical occupational therapist.

Helping yourself

In addition to seeking help from specialists, you may feel that you can make some positive steps to help manage the change in your life and your feelings.

If you are feeling anxious, stressed or depressed, the following approaches may help:

• Spend time with people who make you feel good.
• Relax and do things that you enjoy.
• Learn to say no – you don’t need to take on activities that you don’t feel up to doing.
• Limit your alcohol intake (alcohol acts as a natural depressant).
• Try to exercise regularly – daily exercise, such as walking, can be helpful in preventing and treating mild and moderate depression. Regular exercise can help improve your emotional wellbeing after a breast cancer diagnosis. Read more about the benefits exercise and staying fit.
• Join our Online Network where you can talk to other people whose experiences are similar to yours.
• Join a face-to-face breast cancer support group, where you can talk to other people in your situation. You can also phone your state or territory Cancer Council on 13 11 20 for information about support groups in your area.
• Talk to your doctor if you are worried about how you are feeling.