An important aspect for patients after a myocardial infarction is the ability to properly manage their emotions in everyday life. Such adaptation to negative events helps to avoid stressful situations, which often lead to subsequent heart attacks and a sharp rise in blood pressure. Personal reactions depend on the duration and severity of the illness and the individual’s intellectual capabilities. Very often, after an illness, a person may develop a depressive state. The main factors influencing the development of depression in these patients are:
- decreased quality of life and functional capabilities;
- age and age-related diseases such as cerebral arteriosclerosis and hypertension;
- anxiety and stress;
- severity of cardiac pathology (arrhythmias, conduction disorders, pulmonary edema and other complications);
- severity of internal organ damage from a repeated heart attack;
- disability following the illness;
- presence of chronic heart aneurysm;
- diabetes.
All these factors can contribute to the development of depressive states that hinder recovery from the illness.
Very often, people who have had a heart attack experience fear for their future, which transforms into protective psychological reactions. This state suppresses motivation for treatment and decreases discipline. As is well-known, effective treatment requires high discipline and strong motivation for recovery. Therefore, all patients with myocardial infarction need targeted psychological correction. To adhere to medical recommendations accurately, it is necessary to change one’s attitude towards the illness and create motivation for disciplined treatment.
To create favorable conditions for recovery, it is essential to provide the patient with the most accurate, real information about the disease, risk factors for its development, possible causes of exacerbations, medications and to teach self-monitoring of the disease’s progress. Fear of pain attacks can be reduced by teaching patients self-control techniques and proper and timely management of angina attacks. To normalize the psychological state, the person needs to believe in the positive effect of a therapy and find new life goals.
Patients with myocardial infarction should feel emotional support from their treating physician. Emotional support means to show the patient that they are fully accepted as a person. Additionally, it is important for the patient’s relatives and loved ones to support them, encourage attempts at adequate physical activity, and not treat them as inferior or severely ill. This could negatively affect the psychological state of someone who has undergone such an illness. To prevent stress and its consequences, it is recommended to:
- establish a work and rest regimen;
- follow all medical recommendations and take prescribed medications (for example Betaloc, Aquazide-25, Tenormin-50);
- ensure adequate sleep;
- regularly walk in the fresh air;
- find a hobby or return to a favorite activity;
- learn to manage one’s emotions.
By following all these recommendations and working on negative thoughts independently, a person can quickly restore their strength and improve their psychological state.