Having a heart attack, heart surgery or other cardiac event generally comes as a huge shock. Around 75% of people experience the ‘Cardiac Blues’ after a heart event, with unexpected changes in mood and emotions, including sadness and tearfulness, anger and irritability, worry and anxiety, confusion and forgetfulness, withdrawal from friends and family, and loss of interest in life, amongst other symptoms. Many people worry whether they will ever get back to normal.
These feelings are common and are a normal part of recovering from a heart event, especially in the first few weeks or months.
The good news is…
For most people, the cardiac blues resolve in the first few weeks or months after the heart event. So, you can expect your mood to gradually improve. While the cardiac blues is challenging, it will not affect your recovery overall.
When do you need to seek professional help?
You may need to seek professional help if your mood is not improving or is getting worse during the months after your heart event. Around one in three people develop serious anxiety and one in five develop depression after a heart event.
You are at increased risk of developing serious anxiety or depression if you have had anxiety or depression in the past prior to your heart event, or if you have other risk factors such as being isolated, stressed about work or finances, recently bereaved or divorced/separated, or if you have other health problems (see list)
How to get psychological help?
You can get psychological help through our Cardiac Counselling Clinic and other services offered through our Cardiac Wellbeing Program click here to find out more about our Cardiac Wellbeing Program. You can also talk to your GP about your emotional recovery or to request a referral to our Cardiac Counselling Clinic. Find out more about our Cardiac Clinic.
Cardiac Blues resources
For Cardiac Blues resources for patients and health professionals, go to our resources page
