“My husband is recovering from a stroke but is getting depressed. How should I help him?”
My husband suffered from a sudden stroke which paralyzed his left side. However with the medical treatment his condition is slowly improving. This incident has left him shaken up and he is depressed most of the time. How can I help him cope with this better?
9 Answers
It would not hurt to nip this early and get him into therapy.
Deborah R. Wagner
Psychologist
He may need to seek professional help. He’s had a serious illness that has not just physical but psychological effects.
Depression following a stroke is common. I would encourage you to talk to your husband about getting in to see a medical or mental health provider to discuss treatment options.
Ma'am, it is not uncommon for an individual to experience depressive symptoms after a medical event. There are often change to quality of life and loss of independence or self. Continue to be supportive, encourage him to be active. Work with his treatment team and request a referral for a health psychologist.
You can encourage him to be hopeful. Get him to focus on incremental improvements. Also, encourage him to engage in whatever pleasurable and constructive activities that he can do now. In addition, you can still validate his feelings of grief. It is normal for people to feel sadness and grief whenever they experience a loss, including a temporary loss, such as the loss of function during the recovery process.
Johnathan M. Wormhoudt
Psychologist
I would suggest in the near term it would be most beneficial to contact a psychiatrist to investigate whether an antidepressant would be helpful and safe for your husband medically. That won't solve the issue so long-term, I would recommend that you contact a psychologist for him to talk about what is making him depressed.
Ask at the hospital or at his doctor’s if there is a group for people recovering from strokes. Also, if there is a program in which people who did recover can talk to current patients. It is inspiring to see someone who has recovered and to hear about their feelings and experiences.
Moderated on line groups can also be effective if he can’t get out.
You might consider a group for caregivers/partners of patients recovering from strokes.
Good luck!
Marian
Moderated on line groups can also be effective if he can’t get out.
You might consider a group for caregivers/partners of patients recovering from strokes.
Good luck!
Marian
Hi! I would play pleasant music for him as much as possible. Also, show him things that will make him laugh, for example, funny movies or TV shows. You can also hire a yoga instructor to come to the house and help him do the yoga his body will allow him to do. Also, if you have a dog or cat, make sure he has contact with them. Pet therapy does wonders. Let me know if those tips help.
Let him know he can get much better and help him with the recovery. It is normal for him to feel depressed. Do things with him even if it is watching a show with him and letting him know you love him very much, no matter what.
