Department of Health Sciences, Buskerud University College, Drammen, Norway.
Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2011;6(4). doi: 10.3402/qhw.v6i4.8491. Epub 2011 Dec 7.
The aim of the study was to describe the lived experience as it develops over time in stroke survivors suffering from early depressive symptoms.
This paper presents a phenomenological hermeneutical interview-study of nine participants at 6, 12, and 18 months after stroke.
The participants related the depressive symptoms to the consequences of the stroke, and the experience of loss was crucial. Depressive symptoms was not meaningful on its own, but formed the backdrop of the experience of stroke. Our findings revealed three patterns of experience: (1) finding a restored self; (2) trapped in a different life; and (3) fighting to regain self. TWO GROUPS OF STROKE SURVIVORS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE AND SHOULD RECEIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION: (a) old adults living alone; and (b) adults experiencing serious threats to their commitments such as to work, family, and children.
Depressive symptoms have a severe impact on life after stroke. Life circumstances, degree of residual impairment from a stroke, and social context were found to influence people to move along different paths. Older adults living alone and adults experiencing serious threat to their commitments should receive special attention, in terms of further research and in terms of follow-up in clinical practice. More studies investigating the experience of post-stroke depression (PSD) over time and the association between depressive symptoms and loss/grieving are needed. There is also a need for continued empirical research on the identification of effective interventions aimed at prevention or improved coping with PSD.
本研究旨在描述中风后早期抑郁症状患者随时间推移的生活体验。
本研究采用现象学诠释学方法，对 9 名参与者在中风后 6、12 和 18 个月进行了访谈。
参与者将抑郁症状与中风的后果联系起来，而失去的经历是至关重要的。抑郁症状本身没有意义，而是构成了中风体验的背景。我们的研究结果揭示了三种体验模式：（1）恢复自我；（2）陷入不同的生活；（3）努力重新获得自我。两类中风幸存者特别脆弱，应给予特别关注：（a）独居的老年人；（b）经历严重威胁到其工作、家庭和孩子等承诺的成年人。
抑郁症状对中风后生活有严重影响。生活环境、中风后的残障程度和社会背景被发现会影响人们走不同的道路。独居的老年人和经历严重威胁到其承诺的成年人应在进一步研究和临床实践随访方面得到特别关注。需要更多研究来探讨中风后抑郁（PSD）随时间的体验以及抑郁症状与丧失/悲伤之间的关系。还需要继续进行针对 PSD 预防或改善应对的有效干预措施的实证研究。
