According to Ministry of Health, every year, 30,000 people die of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) out of the 150,000 who have one. So that means 120,000 survive. Side effects might include depression depending on researchers of l’American Stroke Association. And that would even be common.
Depression, a consequence of stroke
Depression is a mental illness linked to a disturbance in the functioning of the brain. It is manifested by a succession of characterized depressive episodes. It is therefore different from the depression, which corresponds to a moment when morale is less good.
According to scientists, a third of stroke survivors suffer from depression, compared to 5-13% of adults who have not had a stroke. “Depression following a stroke can be a normal psychological reaction to the stress of injury, disability, or contact with death caused by the stroke, explains Lee H. Schwamm, member of the American Heart Association, in a communiqué. In other cases, it may be caused by structural, electrical, or biochemical changes in the brain. If certain regions of the brain are injured, the systems that regulate emotions can be damaged and produce depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms in stroke survivors. Depression and stroke are two examples of the many conditions that threaten brain health.”
The importance of support in dealing with depression
If depression is not treated, this disease can affect quality of life and make recovery following a stroke more difficult. Indeed, the treatment of depression improves mood but also physical, cognitive and intellectual recovery, very important characteristics following a stroke. The researchers note that, among patients who have had a stroke, some find it difficult to seek treatment or support for their depression. Yet, according to National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), treatments for this disease are effective in 70% of cases.
Scientists also indicate that, for people who have had a stroke as for others, support from family and friends is very important to treat – and sometimes even avoid – the Depression. In the United States, a support service online is also available to help patients and their families cope with this pathology.
The symptoms of depression are multiple according to Inserm: depressed mood, loss of vital momentum, feeling that life is not worth living or almost permanent anxiety, psychomotor slowing, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep and attention disorders. The consequences on daily life can be serious so that the risk of suicide in patients suffering from depression is high: according to Inserm 5 to 20% of them take action.
