Depression - Question 1
Q: My husband is just so miserable all the time. The doctors say it's not surprising given the severity of his stroke, but that doesn't help him or me!
A: It is not surprising that he feels miserable. About four out of every ten people develop significant depression after their stroke. There are two explanations for this. The obvious one is that he has suffered a major loss very similar to a bereavement. He has lost a lot of independence. He may have lost his job, his status and often the respect of his friends and colleagues. Plans that you and he might have made for the future will probably need to be rethought. The relationship between him and the rest of the family, including you, may have suddenly changed, which can have affected him deeply. Given these possible changes, it is perhaps surprising that more people don't become depressed.
It is also possible that the effect of the stroke on your husband's brain has produced mood disturbance regardless of how severe his disability is. There may be centres in the brain that control how we feel, and if they are damaged then depression will result.
