i have two friends who passed away recently to cancer, one panchreatic (non-smoker, non-drinker) and the other one to brain cancer. Both of them had healthy, active lifestyles, but both also coincide in having gone through sad famaily tragedies shortly before getting sick. Is there really evidence of the link between cancer and sadness or depression?
2006-12-29 05:54:00 · 5 answers · asked by AMBER D 6 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
I'd like to see this study if it exists becasue I firmly believe that there IS a strong link between severe stress and depression and cancer. My Dad just went thru a terrible loss after lsoing m Mom tow years ago. The depravation of the one thing he loved doing, I think, caused his body to develop the cancer in his liver. He doesn't drink, smoke, take meds etc but there it is.
A decade ago I saw this happen to a dear pet pooch too. I was undergoing a stressul work environment and i think the pooch picked upon this. IT was liver cancer once again. They went in for surgery and it was gone miraculously. I think there is enormous healing power in emotions and feelings and also enormous power for illness with stress and negative thoughts. Hopefully someone WILL give you a study to cite.
2006-12-29 14:13:15 · answer #1 · answered by mdetaos 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This scenario does not explain why embryo's, infants, children, and adolescents get cancer (they are not depressed). Cancer affects all age groups, races, sexes, rich, poor . . every single culture on Earth. It does not matter if you are a non smoker, non drinker or eat the healthiest foods going . . nor does it matter how active or inactive you are. Anyone at any time can get cancer.
The biggest difference though in survival of cancer seems to be among those who are the healthiest . . eating right, not smoking, exercise all seem to be critical in determining the outcome of a patient with cancer. The healthier you are . . the better off you are in terms of withstanding treatment. So, I could see that if a patient is mentally unhealthy and they develop cancer . . than yes, they might have a more difficult time than someone who is positive and determined to fight. Depression, though, is a treatable condition. Cancer patients should be evaluated for depression.
The depression does not 'cause' the cancer . . but I think that it can affect the eventual 'outcome' for the individual patient. Just the opposite seems to happen for patients who are upbeat and positive . . they seem to be able to withstand harsher treatment and may eventually beat their disease.
CancerBackup: Depression http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Resourcessupport/Relationshipscommunication/Emotionaleffects/Depression
2006-12-29 10:48:18 · answer #2 · answered by Panda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not sure, but clinical depression has been known to lower the body's resistance to illness. You stated your friends had tragedies shortly before getting sick... sadly, people develop cancer long before showing any signs of illness. This may have been an unfortunate coincidence.
2006-12-29 06:21:55 · answer #3 · answered by Kirsten I 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There probably are no CONCLUSIVE studies that prove the correlation between the two, but there are probably a few studies that can make a strong case out of it.
2006-12-29 06:17:48 · answer #4 · answered by garo g 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I had cancer I would be sad and depressed....
2006-12-29 06:06:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋