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I have just sent out the January E-Letter. Those of you who haven't subscribed can read it on that link if you wish.
You will see that one of the pieces I have included is a link to a new page on the site - DEPRESSION . I have done this because it is one of the most dangerous of the emotions that so many of us have to deal with, yet it is rarely discussed. Men often feel that they are weak if hey feel depressed or anxious or have, well any emotion that wouldn't fit on a sports field.
I'd love to see a discussion develop with men sharing their experiences, but I'm not betting that will happen, even in the anonymity of this friendly site. It is one of the features of PCa sites, unlike other cancer and health sites where women predominate. They are all for providing empathy and help, but as a recent quote I saw the other day summed it up:
"Women deal with their issues face to face. Men do so side by side."
Of course men help each other, that goes without saying, but not in the emotional issues - that's for the ladies!! I guess this Forum isn't enough like a bar for men to feel comfortable.
Re. “.... a sign of weakness and excessive emotion....”, As you know I mention in 'My Story' my first encounter with becoming more emotional a day or so after my operation. Then later I found I seemed to get a bit more ‘weepy’ watching movies (happy and sad scenes)or listening to someone give a happy or sad account of a recent event. I metioned this to a friend who was diagnosed around the same time as me (he did not have the 'op' ) and he said that deing diagnosed had the same effect on him. It would be interesting to take a poll of guys who think they are no more emotional now than before being diagnosed.
THat's an interesting comment, Eric. I'll set up a Mini Poll on the subject with the next E-Letter, but in the meantime, it would be interesting to hear other's experiences in this regard.
I think we should differentiate between being more emotional when on ADT - that's well established and is down to reduced testosterone levels - and being depressed after diagnosis. I went through a period when the world looked bad after diagnosis but came through that. I wouldn't have characterised it as depression, but then as an old fashioned Englishman I don't do stuff like that! The more emotional me on ADT, is probably an improvement. I think the boss feels that anyway!
I suspect that most of us who get diagnosed with Pca react with some degree of depression. After all our manhood, quality of life and, depending on the progression of the disease, our very existence is threatened.
The true wonder is how well so many of us seem to do despite our disease (and accompanying depression). Your analytical approach and personal industriosness, Terry,appear to serve you well. Thanks for sharing.
I suffered a strong case of the weepies, to the point my GP sent me to a psychologist and after a number of tests I was told it was the side effects of Zoladex, I was offered drugs but declined as I felt I had enough drugs in me to last a lifetime, the weepies declined after quite some months and eventually disappeared altogether, however I now find I can tear up more readily than I ever did before, perhaps neurological pathways have been opened?
