Managing Your Mental Health
- New research is suggesting that older adults with emotional sensitivity are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, something singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, 75, endured in his 60s.
- The study, recently published in PLOS Mental Health and led by investigator Pierrich Plusquellec, found that seniors who often feel “emotional contagion” are at a heightened risk of feeling anxious or depressed.
- Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology and an advocate for cancer patients to prioritize their mental health, told SurvivorNet, “We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes.”
- Anxiety is triggered by many stressors, such as a diagnosis or the fear that your cancer will return. Experts tell SurvivorNet that tips for coping with anxiety may include finding hobbies that bring you joy or rationally managing your extreme thoughts.
The study, recently published in PLOS Mental Health and led by investigator Pierrich Plusquellec, found that seniors who often feel “emotional contagion” are at a heightened risk of feeling anxious or depressed.
Read More“We aimed to explore elements of contagion among older adults in light of the known physiological changes in their ability to regulate stress and emotions and the daily contexts of proximity, such as caregiving and community living in a retirement home, which may increase opportunities for emotional contagion.”
According to the study’s abstract, the researchers looked into various factors, including, “sociodemographic factors, indicators of autonomy, social support, coping styles, vulnerability to emotional contagion, and empathy” when psychological distress was present, and when it wasn’t
The “cross-sectional study” included 170 older adults participants, with an average age of 76 and 85 percent women.
“Vulnerability to emotional contagion, satisfaction with the social network and coping styles emerged as factors weighing the likelihood of being in either of the psychological distress groups relative to individuals with no distress,” the study authors explain.
“After controlling for adversity and psychotropic treatment, vulnerability to emotional contagion had the strongest relationship with both psychological distress profiles. Future research, such as a prospective longitudinal study, may provide an opportunity to explain the direction of the relationship between psychological distress and the factors studied, particularly vulnerability to emotional contagion.”
The study looked into adults who were ages 55 or older. The individuals were either living in a retirement home or community, or obtaining help from community organizations, and they were all coping with some form stressful events.
Richer concluded to Medscape, “Our results support the value of interventions like programs aimed at improving satisfaction with one’s social network and enhancing the cognitive mastery of emotional contagion to reduce or prevent psychological distress in the growing aging populations.
“When supporting individuals experiencing psychological distress, assessing the emotional state of their social environment, rather than just its level of support, seems essential. A deterioration in the emotional state of the social environment, combined with an increased vulnerability to being affected by others’ emotions, could also serve as an indicator of mental health risk.
Bruce Springsteen’s Battle With Depression
Springsteen, who previously spoke with CBS Sunday Morning about his overwhelming bout of depression in his 60s, said he struggled with the feeling down “for along time,” explaining, “It would last for a year and then it would slip away. Then it would come back for a year-and-a-half.”
He told the news outlet during a 2016 interview, “[Depression] It sneaks up on you. It’s like this thing that engulfs you. I got to where I didn’t want to get out of bed, you know? And you’re not behaving well at home and you’re tough on everybody. Hopefully not the kids.
“I always try to hide it from the kids. But you know, Patti [his wife] really had to work with me through it. And her strength and the love she had was very important as far as guiding me through it. She said, ‘Well, you’re gonna be okay. Maybe not today or tomorrow!’ But it’s gonna be all right.'”
The “Dancing in the Dark” singer, who’s late dad also also suffered from mental health issues, ultimately battled depression with therapy and medication and wrote a song titled, “The Depression.”
Back in 2018, Springsteen told Esquire, when asked about if he ever had suicidal thoughts, “I once got into some sort of box where I couldn’t figure my way out and where the feelings were so overwhelmingly uncomfortable.”
He continued, “This was the ‘agitated depression’ I talk about in the book [‘Born to Run’], where feelings became so overwhelmingly uncomfortable that I simply couldn’t find a twelve-by-twelve piece of the floor to stand on, where I could feel a sense of peace on.”
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Springsteen continued, “I had no inner peace whatsoever. And I said, ‘Gee, I really don’t know. I don’t know how long I could . . .’ It was a manic state, and it was just so profoundly emotionally and spiritually and physically uncomfortable that the only thing I’ve ever said was ‘Gee, I don’t know, man.'”
Expert Resources on Mental Health
- Mental Health and Cancer — The Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
- Battling Anxiety? The Amazing Mom On A Mission To Show Your Family Is Not Alone, Watch Her New Film ‘Anxious Nation’
- Fear, Anger, Anxiety: You’re Entitled To Your Emotions
- SN & You Presents Mental Health: Coping With Emotions
- Changing the Culture: Medical Professionals Shouldn’t be Ashamed to Seek Mental Health Treatment
- How to Help Your Loved Ones Dealing With Loneliness, Anxiety, & Cancer
Mental Health: The Basics
The term mental health refers to both our emotional and psychological well-being. Our mental health can affect how we think, feel, and behave. Certain triggers like stress, traumatic events, or change in your physical health can affect mental health. It’s really important to keep tabs on your mental health and, if necessary, seek treatment. This doesn’t necessarily mean traditional therapy because while it may be really helpful (even life-changing) for some, that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.
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Struggling mentally does not look the same for everyone. Some people may be very high-functioning, while others show clear signs that indicate depression. Sometimes, perhaps after a particularly stressful life event, people may begin feeling anger that seems irrational or uncharacteristic.
Dr. William Breitbart, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, says that when he sees patients dealing with some sort of life-changing or even life-threatening challenge, they may turn to anger as a way to cope.
“One gets angry because one hasn’t quite achieved and fulfilled the tasks that they set out for their lives and the responsibilities that they’ve committed to fulfill,” Dr. Breitbart explains. Treatment may involve speaking with a professional and trying to come up with ways to achieve those goals. However, Dr. Breitbart notes that guiding these patients to accept their own vulnerability is also crucial.
“The last resort of relieving existential guilt is this act of being able to forgive yourself for being a human being that is vulnerable and susceptible to not being able to fulfill their full potential. So, it’s forgiveness ultimately,” he explains.
For some people, there may even be a sense of shame or guilt involved in seeking mental health treatment in the first place. However, there’s nothing to be ashamed of and it is important to realize you are not alone.
In fact, the CDC reports that according to a 2020 survey, more than 20% of American adults said they sought out mental health treatment over that past year. Among those people, 16.5% said they had taken some sort of medication for their mental health and 10.1% said they had received counseling or therapy.
Managing Your Mental Health in the Face of a Health Challenge or Major Life Change
It’s only natural for health challenges and divorce have some sort of effect on one’s mental health. It’s important to note that the diagnosis of a cancer or disease or some external stressor like a troubled relationship can offset your mental health in ways you least expect.
Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik previously told SurvivorNet that emotions will be fluid when facing a diagnosis. SurvivorNet has some tips to help keep your mental and emotional health in a good space if you find yourself coping with a stressful situation.
The National Institute of Mental Health advises to seek professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted two weeks or more, such as:
- Trouble sleeping
- Changes in appetite
- Struggling to leave bed in the morning because of your mood
- Trouble concentrating
- Loss of interest in things you usually enjoy
- Inability to perform normal daily functions and responsibilities
Equally as important is recognizing the value of self-care. The National Institute of Mental Health offers practical guidance on how to boost your weekly self-care routine.
- Regularly exercising
- Eating healthy, regular meals
- Staying hydrated
- Prioritizing sleep
- Exploring relaxation programs or techniques
- Setting goals/priorities
- Staying positive
- Connecting with others
Battling cancer comes with a ton of emotions. These can range from “anxiety, depression, financial toxicity, social isolation, and PTSD,” SurvivorNet expert and researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center Dr. Shelly Tworoger says.
Psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin also shared some simple tips to help you maintain good mental health and reduce stress amid adversity.
When it comes to dealing with anxiety, Dr. Strongin says it’s important to have a healthy relationship with your anxiety and get to know it rather than fear it, avoid it, or push it away.
Dr. Strongin explained, “By learning more about your anxious thoughts and tendencies, one can begin to answer their anxious thoughts even in moments when there aren’t any answers. For cancer patients, the worry thoughts tend to be, ‘Will I survive?’
“It’s important to let those thoughts come in and really be able to tolerate them before answering them. This is a very powerful coping skill.”
Dr. Strongin suggests medications to help with anxiety and depression if other approaches are not as effective. She also urges cancer warriors to explore telemedicine.
“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik previously explained to SurvivorNet.
“And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process.”
RELATED: Learning To Cope With Anxiety
According to Mental Health America, “56% of adults with a mental illness receive no treatment, and over 27 million individuals experiencing a mental illness are going untreated.”
While millions of people have unmet mental health needs, the need for mental health resources is even greater among cancer patients and their families.
Research published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences found that “35 to 40 percent of cancer patients have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder,” and the number of people experiencing mental health challenges is “higher among cancer patients with advanced stages of cancer and in palliative care settings.”
RELATED: Struggling with ‘Scanxiety?’ See Tips to Best Cope
According to Dr. Asher Aladjem, a physician psychiatrist at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, addressing your symptoms one by one with a mental health professional can go a long way in making treatment a more tolerable experience.
“Patients need to know they’re entitled to get the whole spectrum of services, and the mental health service is a very important one, I think,” Dr. Aladiem tells SurvivorNet.
WATCH: A Guided Meditation for the SurvivorNet Community
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you find yourself struggling with a mental health issue, or a diagnosis, or even helping a loved one cope with their emotions, consider asking your doctor the following questions:
- How can I go about improving my outlook/mental health?
- Are there any activities I can do to encourage positive feelings?
- When should I seek other interventions if I’m still struggling?
- What are the steps to finding a different therapist if the one I’m using is not working out?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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