After a stroke: psychological changes

Feelings of anger, despair, frustration and grief are all normal for people who have had a stroke – and their families. Worries about work, money, close relationships and loss of confidence can lead to anxiety and depression. The tiredness that usually follows a stroke can also make depression worse.

The person may find it hard to control their emotions. Dramatic mood swings and sudden outbursts – such as crying or laughing at the wrong time – can be due to the damage the stroke has caused to their brain.

Helping to understand, and cope with, these symptoms and feelings is an important part of rehabilitation. If symptoms are severe or last a long time, a GP may refer the person to a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist for expert advice.

Mental processes

It is common for a stroke to cause problems with mental processes such as thinking, concentrating, remembering, making decisions, reasoning, planning and learning. A clinical psychologist can help assess these difficulties and find ways of overcoming them.

For example, people who have memory loss might need to keep notes to remind themselves to do routine things. Someone with concentration problems may need to learn to take things more slowly and avoid distractions.