$Unique_ID{BRK01091}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Is Depression After a Stroke "Normal"?}
$Subject{stroke strokes Mental Emotional Circulatory post-stroke depression
depressions depressed psychological brain damage mood moods antidepressant
antidepressants}
$Volume{E-1, G-1}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is Depression After a Stroke "Normal"?


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QUESTION:  My mother, who now lives in an adult home, suffered a stroke
recently.  When we made the trip back home to visit with her, we were shocked
to find her crying, refusing to eat, and unable to sleep properly.  When we
pointed this out to the people who manage the home, they told us it was
normal, and that this happens to many older people after stroke and that there
was nothing to be done.  What is your opinion?

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ANSWER:  Hogwash!  Your mother is suffering from a real illness, called
post-stroke depression.  While it is true that many people with stroke do
experience this problem, it does not have to be accepted as normal, and there
is a great deal that can be done about it.  There are several theories about
its cause.  One possibility is that it is psychological reaction to the
disability.  Other research points to the damage the brain sustained after the
stroke as the basis for the mood change.  The depression may come on between 6
months to two years after the stroke episode, and may last for as long as a
year if untreated.  But it can and should be treated as any other depression,
with appropriate antidepressant medications in the correct dosages for your
mother's age and physical condition.  Get your mother to a caring physician;
she needs help.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.