How ‘Shaft’ Actor Samuel L. Jackson, 75, Overcame Bladder Incontinence and Addiction– Encouraging For Men After Prostate Cancer

Among prostate cancer patients, incontinence is a common side effect of prostate cancer treatment. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Fortunately, most prostate cancer is caught with screening examinations. Patients who undergo a prostatectomy, which is a procedure that removes the entire prostate along with some surrounding tissue, urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction are side effects of this procedure. A prostatectomy is an option for men with any risk group of prostate cancer that hasn’t spread outside of the prostate gland.

RELATED: How Family History Influences Prostate Cancer Risk

Overcoming Addiction

A vulnerable Jackson admitted to Vanity Fair that he also suffered from alcohol and drug addiction at one point in his life. Jackson, still living in New York City, found himself caught up in the crack epidemic during the 1980s.

“I was a f—–g drug addict, and I was out of my mind a lot of the time, but I had a good reputation. I showed up on time, knew my lines, and hit my marks,” Jackson explained.

The famous actor said he discovered alcoholism tends to run in families, and he admitted that drinking one beer from a six-pack was never enough, and he would often drink all six.

“I never thought I was an alcoholic; I just drank all my life. But I was a blackout drinking: I would wake up in places and not know how I got there,” Jackson said.

He began a rehab program with the added motivation he could lose his wife if he hadn’t made much-needed changes.

Fortunately, rehab helped Jackson turn his life around, and ever since, he’s thrived. Excessive alcohol can increase your cancer risk.

Is There a Link Between Cancer and Alcohol Consumption?

There is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time, and an increased risk of several cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.

According to a study published last year in JAMA Network Open, people with “heavy drinking levels had an associated higher risk” of developing alcohol-related cancers “than those who did not drink.”

The study included 4.5 million participants who self-reported their drinking habits. The results concluded people who reduced their alcohol consumption lowered their risk.

Conversely, “Those with moderate or heavy drinking levels who quit drinking had a higher all cancer incidence than those who sustained their levels, but when quitting was sustained, this increase in risk disappeared.”

Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal cancer surgeon at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said she also believes alcohol increases the risk for certain cancers but acknowledged that the data was mixed, especially for colon cancer.

“I do think that high levels of alcohol certainly predispose to a certain number of cancers, including pancreatic and liver cancer, and may predispose to colon cancer,” she said.

“But there’s also some data that shows that low levels of alcohol, or a glass of wine here and there, may actually lower your risk of colon cancer,” Dr. Yeo continued.

How Much Alcohol Can You Consume?

When it comes to knowing how many drinks you can safely have? The World Health Organization has plainly said no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.

Dr. Comen agrees that consuming no alcohol is safest.

“Patients ask me this all the time, ‘Well, how much can I drink?'” she said. “If you want to have absolutely no risk from alcohol, then don’t drink at all. But probably having less than four glasses a week of alcohol is probably OK.”

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest two drinks or less for men and one drink or less per day for women.

Dr. Yeo shared a similar message regarding moderation.

“For women, anything over half a glass or a glass a day is probably not helping your overall health,” Dr. Yeo said. “For men, they can probably go one to two glasses before they start seeing health effects.”

Helpful Tips to Help You Avoid Alcohol

Do you struggle with alcohol in times of stress? Victoria Martin did. She is a breast cancer survivor and wellness coach who used her own experience to help others with alcohol addiction.

She shared some helpful tips and actionable steps people can use to help break unhealthy habits and cope with stress without alcohol.

1. Mindset: Instead of looking at it like this is something you must give up, try making a tiny shift in your language and thinking that still feels true. Have an open mind and think about what you will gain and learn rather than approaching from deprivation.
2. Be Curious: What would it feel like to experience new thoughts and feelings to replace the worn-out ones? It is empowering to realize that you can change your patterns and see what is on the other side.
3. Understand This is Not the Garden of Eden: Thinking of anything as a “forbidden fruit” creates even greater cravings, feelings of resentment, and deprivation. You are simply getting curious and creating changes that you get to make. Also, emotional attachments to our habits are genuine, so acknowledging and honoring these feelings is perfectly healthy.
4. Create a Toolbox: Habits that no longer serve us did serve a purpose at some point, which is part of why we use them past their expiration date. You may be surprised at how uncomfortable some moments can be, but you can learn tools and tactics to make it easier than staying stuck.
5. Find Your People: You are not alone. Luckily, there is strength in numbers and a community where you can connect with people who understand what it is like. Sharing your experience won’t just help you feel less alone, but you will be helping others.
6. Drop the “Shoulds”: One of the quickest ways to be defeated is by “shoulding ourselves.” Expecting perfection and tearing ourselves down will only lead to our maladaptive habits gaining more of a foothold. Practice speaking to yourself like you would talk to a friend and see how kindness gets you moving in the right direction.

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