Talking Therapy Reduces Depression, Anxiety Symptoms in Stroke Survivors

THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For stroke survivors, talking therapy is associated with moderate reductions in depression and large reductions in anxiety symptoms, according to a study published online June 5 in Nature Mental Health.

Jae Won Suh, Ph.D., from University College London, and colleagues used national health care records from National Health Service Talking Therapies services in England for 7,597 patients with a hospital diagnosis of stroke before attendance to examine whether psychological treatment is effective for stroke survivors.

The researchers found that stroke survivors experienced moderate reductions in depression and large reductions in anxiety symptoms following psychological treatment. Compared with those seen within six months of a stroke, patients who started attending the services a year or more after a stroke were less likely to reliably recover from symptoms of depression or anxiety, irrespective of differences in baseline characteristics including age, gender, local area deprivation, and symptom severity. Stroke survivors were less likely to reliably recover and more likely to reliably deteriorate after psychological treatment compared with a matched sample without a stroke; these relationships were attenuated after adjustment for level of physical comorbidity.

“It is essential for general practitioners and other clinicians working with stroke survivors to screen for depression and anxiety symptoms and refer patients for psychological therapy as early as possible,” Won Suh said in a statement.

One author disclosed ties to Eli Lilly and Company.

Abstract/Full Text