Español
PDFs by language
Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides information and answers for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.
Chat live online
Select the Live Chat button at the bottom of the page
Our highly trained specialists are available 24/7 via phone and on weekdays can assist through online chat. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with essential services and resources at every step of their cancer journey. Ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include:
For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
Cancer doesn’t just affect your physical health. For my people it also causes anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other types of mental distress. Cancer-related mental distress can happen at any time, even weeks or months after treatment ends.
There are steps you can take to manage your distress.
Cancer-related mental distress is a general term for the many feelings and emotions that come with having cancer.
Mental distress is not the same as having problems or stressors in your life. Stress isn’t always negative. It can motivate and focus us. But sometimes, the problems and stressors in your life (like cancer) affect your thoughts and feelings so much that it becomes hard to cope.
People describe mental distress in many ways. If you have mental distress, you might feel:
Mental distress can make it hard to function. You might have trouble scheduling appointments, making decisions, or taking medicines that are important for your cancer treatment and survivorship.
You might also struggle with activities not related to your cancer, like doing housework, talking to friends, or taking care of yourself.
Some of the most common types of cancer-related mental distress are:
It’s common to have more than one type of mental distress during your cancer treatment and survivorship journey. You might experience these together, or at different times.
There are many ways cancer and cancer survivorship can cause mental distress. This includes:
Distress can happen at any time. It can also come and go during cancer treatment and survivorship. But there are certain times that often bring feelings of distress.
Cancer survivors are at greater risk of developing a mental health disorder after treatment ends. This is often due to fear of recurrence, fewer check-up appointments, and less support.
This might take you by surprise. Cancer survivors often say they are surprised at the mental distress they feel after treatment ends.
Many of the symptoms of mental distress are hidden, so it can be hard to know if a person is struggling. They might seem “fine” on the outside. You might not even realize when you are distressed.
You might feel:
Other common symptoms are:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Includes information on finding your local crisis center.
Phone: 988
Text: 988 (English and Spanish only)
Website: http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
To get immediate help, you can also go to the emergency department or call 911.
Some people are more likely to struggle with severe mental distress that prevents them from living their lives.
You might be at greater risk for developing cancer-related mental distress if you have:
Where you live, grow, work, learn, and play also affects your mental health.
You are more likely to be affected by mental distress if you struggle with basic needs like stable housing, transportation, social support, and access to affordable and nutritious food.
These non-medical needs (called social determinants of health, or SDOH) can make a big difference to your physical and mental health.
Some of these things can’t easily be changed. But there are ways you can get help during your cancer treatment.
Find resources to help you during your cancer treatment:
It’s common to feel some amount of distress when you or a loved one has cancer. You might feel overwhelmed and anxious about all of the unknowns. It might even feel like your life is out of control. This is normal.
A lot of things can go through your mind during this time. You might wonder:
It’s also common to feel anxious or worried about:
These are all expected responses to a very distressful and often traumatic event. Just like other side effects, these feelings of distress can usually be managed.
If you feel distressed, don’t wait. It’s important to take steps early. Don’t wait until you reach a level of severe distress before you look for ways to cope. It’s much easier (and more effective) to start managing your distress before you get overwhelmed.
It’s not always possible to get help early. That’s okay, too. You might not even be aware of your distress until after it becomes unbearable. The most important thing is to get help as soon as you notice it.
Try to do what you can, when you can.
Managing your mental distress is also an important part of managing your cancer care.
Mental distress can make some of the physical side effects of cancer and cancer treatment worse. This is especially true of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, sleep problems, and pain.
Studies also show that people with unmanaged mental health conditions are more likely to have worse cancer-related outcomes, including survival and quality of life.
If it seems like you might have severe distress, your doctor or cancer care team may want to rule out other health problems that could be making it worse. They might also offer resources or a referral to a specialist.
Many experts recommend screening everyone with cancer for anxiety and depression. If your health care team asks you about your mental health, share how you’re really feeling.
They might ask questions to learn more about:
Some cancer care teams measure distress in the same way, using a 0 to 10 scale. A common tool used by many providers is the distress thermometer.
If your care team uses the distress thermometer, you will be asked to circle the number (0-10) that best describes how much distress you had during the past week, including the present day.
It can be hard to talk about mental health and distress. It might help to write down some of the symptoms you’re having or questions you want to ask. Here are a few ideas:
Managing mental distress is very personal and individualized. It depends on each person’s specific situation, lifestyle, and needs.
Treatment might include talk therapy, medication, or a combination of both. Sometimes other specialized treatments or integrative therapies are used along with standard treatment. The goal is to improve your symptoms, reduce your suffering, and improve quality of life.
Examples of therapies that might be used to treat cancer-related mental distress are:
Learn more in Coping with Distress.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Aburizik A, Raque TL, Spitz N, Mott SL, McEnroe A, Kivlighan M. Responding to distress in cancer care: increasing access to psycho oncology services through integrated collaborative care. Psychooncology. 2023; 32(11): 1675-1683. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.6217
Borenstein J. Stigma, prejudice, and discrimination against people with mental illness. American Psychiatric Association. August 2020. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination
Cancer.net. Depression. Updated October 2022. Accessed May 24, 2024.
Chen WC, Boreta L, Braunstein SE, et al. Association of mental health diagnosis with race and all-cause mortality after a cancer diagnosis: Large-scale analysis of electronic health record data. Cancer. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.33903
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Distress during cancer care. NCCN Guidelines for Patients. 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/distress-patient.pdf
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Distress management. Version 1.2024. NCCN Guidelines. Updated October 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/distress.pdf
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (OASH). Social cohesion. Healthy People 2030. 2021. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/social-cohesion
Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. US Department of Health and Human Services. May 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
Roy-Byrne PP. Management of psychiatric disorders in patients with cancer. UpToDate. UpToDate Inc; 2023. Updated September 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/management-of-psychiatric-disorders-in-patients-with-cancer
Saad AM, Gad MM, Al-Husseini MJ, AlKhayat MA, Rachid A, Alfaar AS and Hamoda H. Suicidal death within a year of a cancer diagnosis: A population-based study. Cancer. 2019. 125: 972-979. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.31876
Syrjala KL & Chiyon Yi J. Overview of psychosocial issues in the adult cancer survivor. UpToDate. UpToDate Inc; 2023. Updated October 2023. Accessed December 15, 2023. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-psychosocial-issues-in-the-adult-cancer-survivor
Last Revised: July 25, 2024
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.
If this was helpful, donate to help fund patient support services, research, and cancer content updates.