Opening Up, Sharing Can Be Best Thing For Stroke Survivors, Study Says

Key TakeawaysOpening up to others about a stroke might help survivors recoverStroke survivors uncomfortable about sharing their feelings tended to have hampered recoveryThey were more likely to feel lonely, struggle with everyday activities and have greater problems with thinking skills.THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Dr. Dipika Aggarwal found her life turned upside down following her 2019 stroke.At just 38, the neurologist from Kansas City, Missouri, went from a thriving career to months in intensive rehab, followed by isolation during the COVID lockdown.“I lost my professional life, my engagement ended and there was no guarantee I’d ever work again,” Aggarwal said in a news release. “My mental health got so bad that I started thinking about ending my life. I didn’t even realize I was experiencing post-stroke depression.”One deceptively simple step led Aggarwal back from the brink – talking about her stroke, first to family and then on social media.“Sharing my story helped me heal,” Aggarwal recalled. “It gave me hope to hear from others and feel less alone.”This same tactic — opening up and sharing feelings — can significantly improve recovery among stroke survivors, a new study says.Stroke survivors uncomfortable about sharing their thoughts and feelings have slower physical and cognitive recovery after their stroke, according to findings to be presented at an upcoming American Stroke Association (ASA) meeting in New Orleans.“When trying to cope with major stress and trauma, a lot of people benefit from having a supportive social environment where they can talk about what they are going through,” said lead researcher Alison Holman, a professor of nursing at the University of California-Irvine.“However, when stroke survivors feel uncomfortable sharing their thoughts/feelings because they think talking about it will make others uncomfortable or that others won’t want to hear their concerns, these constraints on sharing can be harmful for their health,” Holman said in a news release.For the new study, researchers analyzed data for 763 people who’d had a mild to moderate stroke and were treated at one of 28 U.S. hospitals.These patients were followed for a year, undergoing regular testing of their recovery and mental state.After three months of recovery, the research team assessed participants’ willingness to talk about their stroke by asking them to identify a person upon whom they regularly depend.The patients were then posed two questions:“In the past week, how often did you get the feeling that he or she didn’t want to hear about your feelings about your stroke or your fears about future health problems?”“How often have you felt as though you had to keep your feelings about your stroke or your fears about future health problems to yourself because they made him or her feel uncomfortable or upset?”Researchers found that people who were less able to share their feelings were more likely to:Feel lonelier — left out, isolated and without companionshipExperience more difficulty with everyday activities like feeding or bathingHave greater problems with thinking skills such as memory, attention and language“The level of social constraint after 90 days was just as effective at predicting overall disability and physical function one year later as the initial severity of the stroke,” Holman said. “For many stroke-focused health care professionals, the severity of the stroke is the gold standard for understanding how well or poorly a person will be doing down the road.”More research is needed into the importance of a patient’s social environment when it comes to their recovery, she added.In the meantime, caregivers should consider creating “a safe space for people to talk about their stroke, let them talk about their feelings and what they’re going through so they can process what has happened and what’s going on,” Holman said.“However, don’t try to force it because not everyone needs to verbalize their emotions,” she added. “Providing a safe place for them to share, if needed, is the key.”American Stroke Association spokesperson Dr. Amytis Towfighi agreed that more research is needed into this social aspect of stroke recovery.“While social support is increasingly recognized as beneficial after stroke, less is known about how social constraints affect recovery,” Towfighi, a professor of neurology and population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, said in a news release.“This study is one of the first to assess their influence on long-term psychological, cognitive and functional outcomes,” Towfighi said. “The findings offer valuable insights that can inform interventions to improve post-stroke recovery.”Aggarwal, who now volunteers for the ASA, also agrees that this area needs more research.“The social, financial and psychological aspects of recovery are huge, and we don’t talk about them enough,” Aggarwal said.“My advice to other stroke survivors: don’t keep things hush-hush,” she added. “Seek support, allow yourself to be vulnerable and connect with people who understand what you’re going through.”Holman is scheduled to present her findings Feb. 4 at the ASA’s annual meeting.Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.More informationJohns Hopkins Medicine has more about stroke recovery.SOURCE: American Stroke Association, news release, Jan. 29, 2026 .What This Means For YouTalking about your feelings after a stroke might help your recovery, researchers say..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter