Losing speech after a stroke can negatively affect mental health – but therapy can provide hope

firemonkey

Around 25% of adults will have a stroke in their lifetime. And around one-third of stroke survivors will be left with damage to the part of their brain that decodes and organises language – leaving them with a disability known as aphasia. Aphasia can affect speaking and understanding as well as reading and writing abilities, but does not affect intelligence. It can vary in severity from getting a few words mixed up, to being unable to say any words.

https://theconversation.com/losing-speech-after-a-stroke-can-negatively-affect-mental-health-but-therapy-can-provide-hope-160581

Amity

Wow didnt realise it was as high as a quarter of all adults.

firemonkey

Neither did I.

verity

I suppose as it is common form of death that makes sense.

verity

I found this interesting

https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm

why is the southeastern US more stroke prone? But not Florida...

Teach51

Yes it is interesting. It could be culturally related, meaning diet, fried foods, high consumption of meat etc, the South like their hash browns and fried chicken I believe. Florida is a retreat for retirement, perhaps New Yorkers and  other  such retirees  who relocate to Florida in search of the sun are more aware of health trends and less conservative in their adherence to ethnic and family culture, more universal in their search for what is considered healthy. Just a hypothesis. 

verity

Loss of speech woudl be tough. I know many recover it, but still. I had a Godmother with with MS who temporarily went blind, and lived for years with decreased mobility, speak and toward the end cognition. Boy did she tough it out. 

verity

Teach51 said:

Yes it is interesting. It could be culturally related, meaning diet, fried foods, high consumption of meat etc, the South like their hash browns and fried chicken I believe. Florida is a retreat for retirement, perhaps New Yorkers and  other  such retirees  who relocate to Florida in search of the sun are more aware of health trends and less conservative in their adherence to ethnic and family culture, more universal in their search for what is considered healthy. Just a hypothesis. 

I'm conscious of derailing topic as as I understand this is more about the mental health impact. However there is still something odd about the graphic neatly following State lines.

Teach51

firemonkey said:

Around 25% of adults will have a stroke in their lifetime. And around one-third of stroke survivors will be left with damage to the part of their brain that decodes and organises language – leaving them with a disability known as aphasia. Aphasia can affect speaking and understanding as well as reading and writing abilities, but does not affect intelligence. It can vary in severity from getting a few words mixed up, to being unable to say any words.

https://theconversation.com/losing-speech-after-a-stroke-can-negatively-affect-mental-health-but-therapy-can-provide-hope-160581

Sorry for digressing.

I have actually taken care of CVA  (Cerebral Vascular Accident or stroke ) patients for prolonged periods of time as a nurse. The sudden change from being healthy to being silent, partially paralysed, unable to communicate with their family and surroundings, literally being struck dumb is a terrifying experience. The sudden change in what a person can and cannot do is devastating. They need to be fed, bathed, assisted in using a bedpan, all these things are very invasive and lower self-esteem and cause depression. I have nursed patients who have eventually regained their speech ability after a very prolonged rehab process but this does not always happen of course. In my hands- on  experience much of the patient's  mental anguish results from family and people that stroke patients need to interact with treating them as if not being able to verbalize their thoughts equals being retarded, they shout at them or speak slowly to them as if they are cognitively impaired. Giving such patients writing equipment or a tablet where they can communicate their feelings and needs helps to a certain extent but these patients sense of autonomy and safety in their environment is seriously impaired. It is a very long and frustrating process to restore speech and mobility and many post CVA patients become seriously depressed.