Key Takeaways
The chances of developing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression increase after a heart attack.
Making healthy lifestyle changes like exercising, joining a support group, and seeking therapy can help lessen the chances of developing a mental health condition.
A heart attack is a significant event in a person’s life, often a near-death experience that can reshape their worldview. If you’ve survived a heart attack, it’s natural to need time to readjust. However, it’s equally crucial to prioritize your mental health alongside your physical recovery.
Following, you’ll get to know the effects of the heart attack on your mental state and how you can care for it as well.
Effects of a Heart Attack on Mental Health:
Many studies have observed that a heart attack leaves the patient with different challenges. From stress to anxiety, depression to social withdrawal, here is how a cardiac arrest usually affects a person’s mental health:
1. Anxiety
According to different studies, emotional distress like anxiety, fatigue, and similar feelings are common after a heart attack. This can be because the patient becomes uncertain about their health, present life, and future.
2. Depression
Depression is a mental condition where you feel sad and lose interest in things. Many get depressed about their situation when they get a heart attack. It can increase their risk of further heart problems, such as another heart attack.
Dr. Kirk Garratt, Medical Director of the Center for Heart & Vascular Health, and John H. Ammon, Chair of Cardiology, says:-
“Recent evidence has shown that depression is particularly prevalent among people who are discharged from hospital after a heart attack, and not only is that a problem that they now have to manage, but the presence of that depression makes it harder for them to recover from their heart attack and harder for them to live healthy high-quality lives.”
3. Isolation
You can socially withdraw from talking to people or taking part in activities as you get afraid about your health after surviving cardiac arrest. This can isolate you, and you can think about negative thoughts.
4. Self-esteem Issues
Many patients think about their image and how others would perceive themselves after going through a heart attack. This decreases confidence and gets the patient stressed.
Ways to Care for Your Mental Health Post Heart Attack:
Myocardial infarction (MI), or heart attack as we usually call it, is a critical medical emergency that is quite common around the world. It affects a person’s mental state alongside physical health. And here’s how you care for your mental health after a heart attack:
1. Get Back To The Daily Routine
Recovering from a heart attack can seem tedious, but it is necessary to gradually get back to your older self for faster healing. However, “gradually” is a keyword here. Take your time with activities like exercise or working at your full speed in a day or two, as it can be too much too fast.
2. Relieve stress
A thing that medical professionals always recommend for patients who have suffered a heart attack is to get rid of any stress in their lives. So, please do not take any pressure from any situations in your personal or professional lives, as it can increase the chances of other health problems.
3. Join Counseling
Joining Counseling or seeking any psychotherapy recommended by your healthcare professional can be pretty beneficial and have a positive impact on caring for your mental health after a cardiac arrest.
Through therapy, you’ll get to understand not only medical health but also connect with a deeper self. After analyzing your health, the healthcare professional may provide different coping strategies for your well-being.
4. Do Physical Exercise
Physical activity helps with physical and mental health conditions. Start with slow walking and light exercises, then gradually increase them as your healthcare professional suggests. According to a study, males who exercised after a cardiac arrest had a higher mortality rate than those who didn’t.
5. Join A Support Group
When you are a part of a support group, it provides you with a sense of belonging. You meet up with people with conditions similar to yours, and they’re the people who can fully understand you and the journey that you have taken.
6. Participate in Activities
Taking part in different activities keeps you busy and away from overthinking in your idle time. So, if you have hobbies, get back to them gradually. And, even if you have no particular interests, try different activities like yoga, crafting, mindfulness, and more. It would help if you tried them at least once. You may find some new passions.
Many people see going through a heart attack as a sign to refocus on their lives. Andrew Steptoe, professor of psychology and epidemiology at University College London (UCL), quotes:-
“People who have survived a serious illness sometimes curiously see a sort of benefit because it focuses their minds on the important things in their lives.”
7. Let Out Your Feelings
You should be able to talk to the people around you about anything positive or negative that comes to mind, as this will help them understand your condition and save you from social isolation.
Even after implementing all the recommended strategies, if you’re still not feeling your best, it’s important to remember that seeking an assessment is not a sign of weakness but a proactive step toward better understanding and managing the impact of the heart attack on your mental health. Your healthcare provider is there to support you on this journey.
Conclusion
Recovering from a heart attack can be exhausting. Feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and anxiety are pretty standard. Thus, taking all the necessary steps to care for your mental health is essential. The good news is that you can get back into the world successfully with treatment and positive, healthier changes!
