Your emotions are normal and expected.
You will likely feel a wide range of emotions as you recover from your stroke. The mostly commonly reported emotions include:
- Anger
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Fear
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Sadness
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Relief
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Apathy
Whatever you are feeling is valid and normal. You may also notice emotional changes that are caused by the way the stroke affected your brain. This includes such as crying or laughing when it doesn't match your mood. You may feel unintentionally angry or cheerful and that is also perfectly normal after a stroke.
There are several coping techniques to heal from the negative thoughts and feelings that are so common after stroke.
Depression and stroke.
Depression can be common in stroke survivors. It can be caused by biochemical changes from the stroke or a normal psychological reaction to a traumatic medical event.
Symptoms of depression after stroke include:
- Feeling sad or “empty” for more than two weeks.
- Feeling restless or irritable.
- Feeling hopeless, worthless, or helpless.
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities you once enjoyed, including sex.
- Changes to your appetite and/or weight.
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.
It is important to get help for post- stroke depression. Untreated depression can slow down your recovery. Your family, friends, doctors and therapists can help you — tell them if you are feeling depressed. You are not alone.
Find a mental health professional
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1.800.273.8255.
You've got this. Your brain and body are going through a remarkable period of recovery and adjustment. You are strong. You are powerful. You can do this.