Many people who suffer depression symptoms after a stroke fail to tell their doctors about it. Most of them choose not to do so because they feel that depression is a "normal" aspect of life after such a potentially life-changing event. In a way, depression after stroke is normal, especially when one thinks of "normal" things as being the same as "common" things. After all, up to 40% of people who suffer a stroke develop symptoms of depression within a few months of their stroke.

But, regardless of how common depression is in stroke survivors, there is no reason why they shouldn't fight back. Modern medicine has brought us a myriad of very effective medications to fight this malady. More importantly, stroke patients who are treated for depression recover better than those who are not. Therefore, depression-stoics don't do better, they do worse. In other words, no matter how tough you are, your feelings of depression will get on the way of your recovery. The take home message here is that receiving treatment for depression can help you live a longer, mentally sharper, and more independent life after stroke. So tell your doctor about it. He/she can help you find the treatment that is right for you.

How do you know that you are depressed? Here are some common feelings reported by people with depression:

• Persistent sadness or flatness of mood
• Recurrent feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
• Loss of interest in ordinary activities, including sex
• Decreased energy and constant fatigue
• Trouble with normal sleep patterns (waking up hours earlier or later than usual)
• Trouble with normal eating patterns (eating much less or more than usual)
• Difficulty with concentration and memory
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Recommended reading:
Depression after stroke
Sex life after stroke
Learning to speak again after a stroke