Physical Illness - Courtesy of The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Many of us will, at some time, have a serious physical illness. Both the illness, and the treatment for it, can affect the way we think and feel. This leaflet is for anyone who has a serious physical illness and for their friends or relatives. It describes:

§  The emotional effects of having a serious physical illness.

§  What does it feel like to be anxious or depressed?

§  Why are depression and anxiety more likely to happen if we have a physical illness?

§  What might make you more likely to become anxious or depressed?

§  When should you seek help?

§  How can depression and anxiety be helped?

§  How can you help yourself?

§  How can family and friends help?

§  Some places to get information and support.

The emotional effects of having a serious physical illness

A serious physical illness can affect every area of your life:

§  relationships

§  work

§  spiritual beliefs

§  how we socialise with other people.

A serious illness can make us feel sad, frightened, worried or angry.

It may be because:

§  We feel out of control of our body and our situation generally. We may feel that there is nothing that we can do.

§  We feel lonely and isolated from family and friends. Sometimes it can be difficult to talk about the illness with those close to us. We don't want to worry or upset them.

For some of us, the emotional impact of a serious physical illness can be overwhelming. Cancer or heart disease, for example, can make us very anxious and depressed. It can stop us from doing the things we need to do in our daily lives.

What does it feel like to be anxious or depressed?

Anxiety and depression affect both our mind and body. Often the two happen at the same time.

Anxiety feels like:

§  Constant worrying thoughts, often about the illness and its treatment

§  Fearing the worst, for example, that our illness will get worse or that we might die

§  Being very aware of our heart beating (palpitations)

§  Tension and pains in our muscles

§  Being unable to relax

§  Sweating

§  Breathing too fast (hyperventilating)

§  Feeling dizzy

§  Feeling faint

§  Indigestion and diarrhoea

Depression feels like:

§  Feelings of unhappiness that don't go away, and are there nearly all the time

§  Losing interest in life

§  Being unable to enjoy anything

§  Finding it hard to make even simple decisions

§  Feeling utterly tired

§  Feeling restless and agitated

§  Losing appetite and weight (some people find they do the reverse and put on weight)

§  Difficulty in sleeping and waking up earlier than usual

§  Losing interest in sex

§  Losing self-confidence and feeling useless, inadequate and hopeless

§  Avoiding other people

§  Feeling irritable

§  Feeling hopeless about ourselves, our situation and the world generally. We may feel as if we are never going to get better, or that we are worthless

§  Thinking of suicide - this is common in depression. It is much better to talk about it than to try to hide it

Some of these symptoms, such as feeling tired, poor sleep and loss of appetite, may be similar to those caused by the physical illness or its treatment. If you talk through how you are feeling with a doctor or nurse, they can help to sort out whether it is your physical illness or depression that is responsible.

Why are depression and anxiety more likely to happen if you have a serious physical illness?

§  People become depressed and anxious when they are stressed for any reason. Being ill and having treatment are stressful. This is probably the most common reason.

§  Some drug treatments, such as steroids, affect the way the brain works and so cause anxiety and depression directly.

§  Some physical illnesses, such as an under-active thyroid, affect the way the brain works. They cause anxiety and depression directly.

§  Anxiety and depression are common. You may just happen by chance to become anxious or depressed at the same time as you become physically ill.

What might make you more likely to become anxious or depressed?

You are more likely to experience severe anxiety and depression when you are physically ill if:

§  You have been anxious or depressed before.

§  You do not have any family or friends you can talk to about your illness.

§  You are female (women report more anxiety and depression than men).

§  You have other problems or stresses going on in your life at the same time. For example, redundancy, a divorce or the death of a loved one.