Cancer Australia

Many women experience sadness, grief or some level of depression after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Depression can be due to physical effects of the cancer and its treatment, as well as the emotional effects of diagnosis.

Signs of depression:

• always feeling low or flat
• losing interest in things that used to be enjoyable
• having difficulty sleeping
• poor appetite (although this may also be a  side effect of treatment).

Depression can make it harder to deal with physical symptoms and to cope with ovarian cancer. Some women avoid talking about their emotional concerns or seeking help because they feel they should be coping or they don’t want to be a burden to others. Others are encouraged by those around them to be strong and positive, which can make it hard to ask for help.

It’s important for women to allow themselves the opportunity to experience grief and sadness. This is an important part of the process of coping with the cancer. Over time, most women find the distress lessens. For some women, however, the sadness is more severe and long-lasting, and specific treatment might be needed.