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People who experience even a mild stroke can have behavioral changes. Though this doesn’t mean that everyone who has a stroke has behavior changes. For instance, you might notice that your loved just seems a little "off" or acts different than they used to. Maybe they have increased mood swings or less of an understanding of others behaviors? Knowing where a stroke occurred in the brain will help to explain specific behavior changes. And yes, only post stroke behaviors…. other odd behaviors might remain a mystery!
Why do behavior changes occur?
When a stroke happens in the brain, blood flow is cut off from specific areas. When blood is cut off or if a vessel in the brain ruptures, the part of the body that the brain controls can be affected. Each part of our brains affect specific actions, movements, abilities to empathize, as well as abilities to have conversations and soooo many other things.
Will my loved one have any specific behavior changes?
Obviously there are different severities of strokes. Some having had a mild stroke and others having massive strokes. Although no stroke presents exactly the same, there can be typical changes that occur.
So what are some general behavior changes?
Possibly most important behavior change is the risk for depression. Depression can occur in anyone, but the risks increase significantly after a stroke. Keeping their life similar to the way it was may be difficult, but it is so important to attempt to create a sense of normalcy after a stroke. Whether you’ve brought your family member home or they are living in a facility, ensuring that they have access to enjoyable activities as well as regular socialization has been proven to reduce risk for depression. If you are noticing that your family member is depressed then SEEK HELP. Assuring them that seeking professional help to regain a better quality of life is an important conversation to have with your loved one. Stress to them they should not be embarrassed by seeking help and that they deserve a happy life just like everyone else.
Increased anxiety is also a common behavioral change, even if the person was not prone to anxiety before. Maybe all of a sudden they get so focused on specific things or really worry when they don’t need to. Keeping similar routines helps to reduce anxiety by removing as many daily unknowns as possible. Keeping them in the loop when discussing plans or activities allows them to feel some control and lessen the risk for increased anxiousness.
Are there any others?
Impulsivity can often occur if the stroke happens in the frontal area of the brain. Impulsive tendencies such as standing up quickly without thinking is a typical one that can lead to falls. They tend to react before they are able to reason whether they need help or not to complete a specific activity. Working on the same task over and over with focus on slowing down behavior can help to reduce that impulsive behavior. They may also be impulsive with words, such as talking too fast or answering before the question has been asked, and for this you will mostly need PATIENCE!
Forgetfulness is often common as well, as their brains are working on reprocessing and they miss information. Repeating yourself or writing things down may reduce frustration or confusion if you do notice forgetful tendencies. Let's be honest, writing things down is a strategy that helps us all!
For more on stroke rehabilitation, click here.
The information you need... Straight Up!
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