On episode 12 of A Chat with Uma, inspired by my upcoming 4-year cancerversary and all that comes up this time of year - I share my full story + experience of my mental health struggles due to/influenced by my cancer. I discuss the research, conceptualization, and understanding of adverse mental health outcomes for patients with cancer & other life-threatening illnesses - particularly AYAs (adolescent + young adult patients, 15-39). I speak at length about my own experience living with cancer and mental health struggles, candidly sharing the concrete examples of how my OCD, anxiety, PTSD, depression, and more intersect with + are exacerbated by my cancer diagnosis. I dispel myths about "cancer victimhood," explaining the reality of cancer survivorship in tangible + accessible terms. I close with reflections about my cancer + mental health experience & my upcoming cancerversary, and provide a call to action + empowerment about sharing our true experiences in community with others - and allowing ourselves the chance to be truly seen + supported.

Topics Covered + Timestamps:

(00:00:00 ): Introduction to the episode, why I'm doing this episode, my upcoming 4-year cancerversary

(00:06:09 ): Breaking Convention Presentation

• April 20-22 | University of Exeter


• ⁠⁠Register to attend HERE⁠⁠ (in person or virtual)

(00:08:36 ): Digital CancerCon Presentation

• April 16-30, virtual platform


• ⁠Register HERE for free⁠

(00:09:59 ): The full reality of facing one's mortality & living with cancer

• Living with chronic illness vs. cancer/life-threatening illnesses


• The general timeline of processing a cancer diagnosis


• The lack of transition from fight/reactive mode to resting + processing


• The implications of chronic survival mode


• Significantly worsened mental health outcomes for cancer survivors (particularly AYAs)


• The realities of cancer survivorship & facing one's mortality


• The resulting isolation & misunderstanding of mental health + survivorship


• Invalidation of the mental health repercussions in survivorship


• SCANXIETY

(00:28:55 ): My own mental health & cancer experience

• How my obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) latched onto cancer


• Health anxiety vs. health anxiety OCD, my experience of both


• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exacerbated by my cancer


• Depression exacerbated by my cancer


• The implications of my chronic/metastatic cancer on my mental health


• The truth of facing my mortality from cancer


• How scanxiety shows up for me

(00:45:05 ): Mental illness/dysfunction is NOT a choice

• Growing around cancer versus trying to erase/deny cancer


• The misperception of mental health challenges during cancer survivorship


• How to support cancer survivors in their mental health


• The power of support and validation in survivorship


• How to shift from toxic positivity, toxic gratitude, and spiritual bypassing


• Dismantling misperceptions of "victimhood," empowerment to take up space

(00:55:00 ): My own reflections, my cancerversary, the duality of life & death around my cancerversary, closing the episode

Connect with me!

• My website⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠umarchatterjee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠


• ⁠Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@UmaRChatterjee⁠⁠⁠⁠


• Twitter:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@UmaRChatterjee⁠⁠⁠⁠


• TikTok:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@UmaRChatterjee⁠⁠⁠⁠


• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@umarchatterjee.com⁠