I think that counseling and/or antidepressants are very helpful for anyone, especially someone going through such a life-changing event as dealing with a cancer diagnosis. The truth is, if you are the cancer patient, you put up a positive front for so many around you, and if you are the caregiver, you do the same. But underneath that front are a lot of emotions that don't really have an outlet. A GOOD therapist is that outlet.
I've been lucky in life (knock on wood) in that I'm pretty healthy. It was my dear husband who had colon cancer. But I come from a family with a tendency toward severe depression, and believe me, it is debilitating. My mom suffered horribly from it, but got a great deal of relief her last 25 years through counseling and antidepressant meds. I took after her, though perhaps not as severely. I knew from about the time I was 11 years old that certain things sent me into a sad place, though I didn't have a word for it. Later, in adulthood, I came to recognize my mom's symptoms in me, and I went into therapy for about 2.5 years. It was the BEST investment in my life. I have been on antidepressants ever since, and I know that the quality of my life is much better than it would be without the meds. Serotonin, the brain chemical involved in depression, is the cause and, and just like a diabetic needs insulin, a chronically depressed person needs meds to help the brain. Asking a depressed person to pull out of it, is like asking a cancer patient to stop the cancer cells from multiplying.
So, in my opinion, if anyone is struggling with a cancer diagnosis (and who wouldn't be?), then they need to consider some counseling and possibly meds.
Now, my dear husband was someone who was rarely depressed. He was blessed with family genetics that don't appear to include depression, and he was someone who saw fun in little things and was able to go through most of his life without the feelings that overwhelmed me in the past. I do think he could have used some counseling and possibly some antidepressants in his last year, but it was his choice not to do so. He hated any meds, so to him it wasn't an option.
Like a previous poster mentioned, some therapists are not worth much. It's up to you to find one that works. I was very fortunate that the therapist I saw many years ago was excellent. A good therapist listens, makes observations, but allows you to come to your own conclusions. Mine rarely gave me suggestions. I think the healing is in being able to say things to someone who is not a friend, not a family member, and is someone whose feelings you can't hurt. It's amazing how it helps.
I don't think I'm "crazy".
I think I have genetics that predispose me to depression, and I was lucky enough to realize as a fairly young adult that I didn't want to continue to suffer. What motivated me was the idea that my depression would affect my children, and so I took action. I grew up with a chronically depressed mother, and I know first-hand that a depressed parent has a very negative influence on children.
What's the harm in trying some counseling?