Analysis: After I had a stroke at 22, what I found most difficult was how lonely I felt due to my unique experience as a young person
Eight years ago, when I was 22 years old, I had just flown home from a holiday in Greece where I'd been experiencing extreme headaches, which I thought were migraines. I went to bed to try and sleep it off, but the next morning when my mom came in to check on me, she found me having seizures and rang an ambulance. I was transferred to Beaumont hospital where they found that I was having a type of stroke called a Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis, or multiple large clots in the veins of my brain.
I was put into an induced coma for two weeks and had many surgeries to help me recover. I was cared for by many incredible doctors and nurses and, despite several complications, I was discharged four months later. I was still very sick and it took years for me to physically recover from the stroke and various complications. But what I found most difficult about this recovery was how lonely I felt due to my unique experience as a young person.
While the focus is rightly on physical heart health, the cardiac event is only half the story for a growing number of young people like me.
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From RTÉ 2FM, Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champion Meaghan O'Brien talks about suffering a stroke at 22 during a gym session
Heart disease is a class of diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels. Some examples of heart disease include congenital heart disease, stroke and coronary artery disease. Although heart disease generally affects more older adults, young people can be diagnosed with heart disease at birth, or throughout their life and are generally considered to be a young heart disease patient if they are under the age of 40.
Due to the emergency life-and-death nature of an acute cardiac event, it is understandable that the focus by healthcare professionals is on the young patient physically recovering and being discharged home. The medical emergency is often met with incredible clinical expertise, but when the danger period passes, a patient is discharged into a world of psychological aftershock.
Although research examining the link between mental health and heart disease is not common, what research is out there suggests that there is a bidirectional relationship between mental health conditions related to stress and heart disease. Anxiety disorder and depression is more common in young people with heart disease, this has a profound impact on the quality of life of young people living with heart disease. Young heart disease patients may experience poor mental health outcomes due to social isolation and high stress levels. Older adults may have peers who also experience heart disease, leading to better social support and coping strategies. Whereas, many young people with heart disease feel they are different to their peers, which can further isolate them.
Read more: Can you be too young to have a stroke?
It is a vicious cycle, as living with an often debilitating heart disease can lead to social isolation, which can then impact a young person’s mental health. Therefore it is vital that we understand the psychological impacts of young people living with heart disease so that supports can be put in place to help these young people.
Ireland has an excellent cardiac care system. The Irish Independent reported that Ireland was ranked fifth in Europe for helping patients manage their cardiac symptoms and reduce their risk for further complications. We as a nation are excellent at looking after those who are sick with heart disease. However, once discharged from cardiac rehabilitation patients are left to pick up the pieces and come to terms with all that has happened to them alone.
Cardiac rehabilitation provides secondary prevention education and helps patients toward living a healthy lifestyle, enabling them to get back to work and their usual activities. It is a vital part of a patient's recovery, yet there is very little psychological support. A British study examining cardiac patients’ experiences of psychological support provided by nurses showed that this was beneficial however not feasible with current nursing resources.
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From RTÉ News, many EDs cannot meet demand for mental health services - report
It is common knowledge that Ireland is experiencing a mental health crisis, with a lack of support services for people with mental health issues. Accessing a referral pathway for psychological support can be extremely difficult. This impacts many young heart disease patients who may already be exhausted after going through the public health system while also coping with the mental health repercussions of living with heart disease.
Public awareness that heart disease can affect anyone at any age is vital, not only to ensure people are aware of the signs to look out for but is also an opportunity for heart disease patients, like myself, to highlight the areas that more support is needed. Global Heart Hub and many other non-profits are trying to raise awareness about the impact that heart disease can have on a person's mental health.
More specialised cardiac psychology should be available to all young heart disease patients, helping them to come to terms with their diagnosis and living with heart disease. The HSE has links to peer support groups available which can be invaluable to young heart disease patients looking for others like themselves.
At the time of my stroke, I did not know it was possible for someone my age to experience this and I knew nothing about how heart disease can impact a young person. This is why it is important we educate ourselves about young heart patients this World Heart Day. It is not only vital to learn about the signs and symptoms of heart disease so we can diagnose people earlier, but also for the approximately 600,000 people living in Ireland with heart disease[2]who are juggling everyday life alongside a serious chronic illness.
World Heart Day takes place on September 29th
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
