Psychiatry in the Cancer World: Dr. Barbara Bartlik’s Perspective

In nearly four decades of psychiatric practice, Dr. Barbara Bartlik has witnessed firsthand the profound emotional and psychological impact that cancer carries into her patients’ lives. Her long career has shown her the wide spectrum of human response: some individuals confront a diagnosis with resilience, adopting healthier lifestyles and even emerging stronger after treatment, while others become deeply burdened by anxiety, depression, or a pervasive sense of doom. For many, cancer is not just a physical illness but a transformative psychological challenge.

The Overlooked Emotional Dimension

Dr. Bartlik stresses that cancer care often remains narrowly focused on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, while patients’ emotional and mental health needs are sidelined. Yet psychiatric conditions are common in this population—ranging from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to anxiety, anger, and profound sexual health concerns. “Someone needs to speak out for these patients,” she emphasizes, underscoring her commitment to ensuring that psychiatric support becomes an integral part of comprehensive oncology care.

Her affiliations with organizations such as the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance and the American Breast Cancer Foundation reflect this mission. Through these partnerships, Dr. Bartlik works to spotlight the importance of emotional well-being, advocating for routine screening of psychiatric symptoms at every clinical encounter. She believes in embedding psychiatric services directly into cancer treatment programs—whether through in-person visits, support groups, or increasingly accessible virtual consultations.

The Hidden Burden of Cancer Therapies

One of Dr. Bartlik’s most urgent concerns involves the psychiatric and sexual side effects of cancer drugs and chemotherapies. These medications, while often lifesaving, can disrupt hormone balance, alter brain chemistry, and trigger an array of psychiatric symptoms. Patients may experience depression, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, or mood instability. Chemotherapy regimens and hormone-blocking drugs can also profoundly impact sexual health, causing vaginal dryness and fragility in women or erectile dysfunction and diminished desire in men.

Beyond physical symptoms, these treatments frequently contribute to feelings of isolation, loss of intimacy, and strained relationships. In some cases, the psychiatric toll becomes so severe that patients consider discontinuing essential therapies. Dr. Bartlik stresses the importance of providing strategies, coping skills, and clinical interventions to help patients endure the challenges of long-term treatment while maintaining quality of life.

Beyond symptom management, Dr. Bartlik emphasizes the critical importance of addressing suicidality, which occurs at nearly twice the rate in cancer patients compared to the general population. By embedding psychiatric professionals into oncology settings, patients gain access not only to medical treatments but also to vital emotional lifelines—whether through therapeutic interventions, crisis hotlines, or support groups.

As a psychiatrist and sex therapist, Dr. Bartlik guides patients toward flexibility, coping strategies, and alternative approaches to intimacy, while also offering evidence-based tools such as natural lubricants, moisturizers, and structured therapy. Her dual focus on mental health and sexual well-being provides a holistic approach that many cancer survivors find indispensable.

A Call for Integration

Dr. Bartlik’s message is clear: psychiatric care must be recognized as a core component of cancer treatment. By systematically identifying and addressing emotional distress, the medical community can ensure that patients not only survive cancer but also retain dignity, quality of life, and hope. Her work stands as a reminder that the cancer journey is never solely medical—it is deeply human, requiring attention to mind, body, and spirit.