If you or a loved one has recently had a stroke, it can be a jarring, scary experience. After being taken care of by a healthcare professional or at the hospital, the experience doesn’t end there. Coming back to the world after recovering from a stroke is a journey that can bring about a myriad of emotional and physical effects.
The impacts of having a stroke can be profound—understanding the challenges that lie ahead and knowing what to expect can help you navigate life after stroke. Let’s dive into some of the ways you can ease your transition back into everyday life.
Emotional effects
Traumatic, alarming experiences such as having a stroke can be overwhelming. You might be feeling scared, frustrated, angry or depressed when coming to terms with what has happened. Everyone is different—how you feel could vary depending on the day and you may not fully process your situation until days, weeks or months after having a stroke.
It’s important to acknowledge and express how you’re feeling and seek support from friends, family, or professionals, such as therapists or support groups. Letting your emotions build up and stay buried can make matters worse for your overall health. Building a strong support system can provide a vital source of encouragement and understanding during this challenging time, as well as give you a sense of hope and resiliency.
It may take some time before you feel like yourself but have compassion and patience. You will heal in time if you take the appropriate preventative measures as prescribed by your healthcare professionals.
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Physical effects
A stroke may result in various impairments depending on the area of the brain affected. You could have weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, difficulty with balance and/or coordination, trouble with speech and language, and fatigue.
Partaking in rehabilitation is an important aspect of the recovery process because you’re learning to regain lost functions. You may have to slowly, with self-love and understanding, adapt to new ways of performing daily tasks.
Recovery process
At the beginning of your recovery, you might be required to partake in intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy. These therapies focus on improving mobility, rebuilding strength, and enhancing/repairing communication skills.
It can feel overwhelming to have to rebuild parts of yourself that were once simple and normal to you. It’s okay to feel