The Thing Not Talked About

After you’ve had a stroke

What I didn’t expect, were the emotional and behavioral aspects of having a stroke. For instance, I get overwhelmed very easily. Technology pushes me over the edge, when I can’t figure something out.

Emotional and behavioral changes are a common effect of stroke. Not only can stroke impact one's mood and outlook, but the area of the brain injury and chemical changes may have significant effects on the brain.

After a stroke, survivors often experience a range of emotional and behavioral changes. The reason is simple. Stroke impacts the brain, and the brain controls our behavior and emotions.

You or your loved one may experience feelings of irritability, forgetfulness, carelessness, inattention or confusion. Feelings of fear, frustration, anger, grief, sadness, anxiety and depression are also common.

The good news is many disabilities resulting from stroke tend to improve over time. Likewise, behavioral and emotional changes also tend to improve. Time is on your side.

This is the part of having a stroke that people, especially the people we love, understand the least.

Personality changes after a stroke are common and can include impulsiveness, apathy, emotional lability (such as pseudobulbar affect), depression, anxiety, and anger or irritability. These changes can affect a stroke survivor's quality of life and relationships. Understanding these changes is crucial for both the survivor and their caregivers.

Common Personality Changes:

Impulsiveness:

Stroke survivors may act without thinking or consider the consequences of their actions, potentially leading to socially inappropriate behaviors.

Apathy:

Apathy, or lack of motivation, is often associated with depression and cognitive impairment.

Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA):

PBA causes sudden, uncontrollable episodes of crying or laughing, which may not be related to the individual's actual mood.

Depression:

Feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities, and fatigue are common after a stroke.

Anxiety:

Stroke survivors may experience excessive fear and difficulty managing daily tasks.

Anger, Irritability, and Aggression:

These can stem from frustration or the inability to control emotions effectively.

Other Changes:

Confusion: Caregivers can help by reducing visual and sound stimulation.

Forgetfulness and Memory Loss: Caused by damage to nerve cells in the brain.

Exaggerated Existing Traits: Existing personality traits may become more pronounced.

Disinhibition: Saying or doing things that are inappropriate or out of character.

There are days where I feel like I am going insane. A kind of Jekyll and Hyde character.

It doesn’t help if I am shunned by the people I care about the most. And they don’t contact me at all. Or they think the change is permanent. Will they give me another chance?