Stroke survivors left to deal with emotional impact alone

A recent report has revealed that survivors of stroke and their families feel overwhelmed at having to cope with the psychological consequences alone after leaving hospital.

A stroke is the sudden loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain – this could be due to a blockage or a hemorrhage. The resulting symptoms can leave the sufferer paralysed on one side of their body, unable to speak and/or blind on one side of their visual field.

According to a report entitled ‘Feeling Overwhelmed’ (published by the Stroke Association), stroke sufferers are finding it difficult to cope with the emotional and mental impact a stroke incurs.

The Stroke Association said over half of the survivors surveyed experienced depression and two thirds experienced anxiety. On top of this many admitted to a lack of confidence and fear of a recurrent stroke. These issues are also affecting carers of stroke survivors, with a high percentage experiencing stress, anxiety and depression.

Over 2,700 people were surveyed at the end of last year for this report, and of those 2,700 a shocking 79% claimed to have not received any information or advice on coping with the emotional aspects of stroke survival.

The Stroke Association is now calling for emotional and psychological support to be as important to recovery as the physical rehabilitation. The association also wants this information and support to be accessible to everyone who has been affected by the illness, including carers.

Coping with a physical trauma such as stroke can be hard to deal with alone. Speaking to a qualified counsellor could help you learn to deal with what happened and cope with any physical symptoms. For more information, please see our Trauma page.

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