Anxiety, Fear and Depression
Some degree of anxiety, fear and depression can occur for persons coping with a serious illness. These feelings are normal.
For the patient, feelings of anxiety, fear and depression can be due to loss of family role, loss of control over events of everyday life, changes in body image, fear of uncontrollable suffering and pain, fear of the unknown, and fear of death.
Family members may experience these feelings because of the loss of their loved one, anger at why this person has to die, fear of the patient’s death, and frustration at not being able to “do enough,” or stress due to increased responsibility at home.
If you or someone in your family needs support in dealing with anxiety, fear and depression, you may want to tell a hospice worker. The hospice care team knows many ways of helping people develop their own coping abilities.