When a person has a stroke, blood supply is interrupted and lost to an area of the brain. This can lead to a range of challenges that can persist well after the initial crisis has passed. While some of the symptoms can be more readily apparent to the outside observer (i.e. slurred speech, weakness or walking difficulties), others are often invisible (i.e. depression, anxiety or cognitive problems), and can lead to great deal of distress. The invisible symptoms can be even more distressing because they're often not well understood nor easy to explain, and they can have an enormous impact on recovery and quality of life.
Depressive symptoms, often referred to as post-stroke depression, are a common issue that arise in the aftermath of the stroke. Approximately one-third of all stroke survivors will at some point experience significant depressive symptoms that interfere with functioning. In comparison, it's estimated that between 5% and 13% of adults without stroke experience significant depressive symptoms.
There are factors that put a person in a higher risk category when it comes to developing symptoms of post-stroke depression. These include:
- Physical disability.
- Severity of stroke.
- Preexisting depressive symptoms.
- Severity of cognitive impairment
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