35-year-old Aaron Kent calls for more specialist mental health support for stroke survivors as he battles panic attacks and PTSD after a stroke

Stroke Association and Mind Cymru have partnered to produce a report highlighting the need for stroke survivors to have specialist mental health and wellbeing support to help rebuild their lives.

Stroke survivors across Wales are missing out on much needed specialist mental health and wellbeing support, reveals a recent report by the Stroke Association and Mind Cymru.

When stroke strikes, part of your brain shuts down. And so does a part of you. That’s because stroke happens in the brain, the control centre for who we are and what we can do. Lives change in an instant. As a result, people who survive a stroke often experience significant mental health struggles, including depression, anxiety, mood swings, panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.

There are more than 70,000 stroke survivors living in Wales. Yet there is little specialised support available to help them address their mental health.

A recent survey conducted by the Stroke Association found that around three quarters of stroke survivors experience at least one mental health problem following a stroke. Yet only 3% received support when they needed it the most.

The Stroke Association currently offers ‘tier 1’ psychological support to address this gap; via support coordinators in the community, the helpline, peer support from other stroke survivors, and social activity groups. But there’s a gap in ‘tier 2’ support for stroke survivors struggling with mild/moderate depression and/or anxiety.

The report explored the lived experience of over 100 people across Wales including stroke survivors, loved ones of stroke survivors and those who work with stroke survivors. Further discussions with 12 stroke survivors found that people do not expect the negative impact on their mental health after experiencing a stroke so it comes as a shock. Stroke survivors also feel alone and uncertain in their recovery. It affects people’s identity, and they can struggle to adapt.

Aaron Kent, 35 years old from Talgarreg, Llandysul had a stroke in October 2020. His wife Emma was told to plan her husband’s funeral as most people who turn up at hospital in his condition don’t make it. The father of two young children, Otis 9 months old and Rue, 3 years old at the time did pull through but the recovery journey has been a difficult one.

“The most painful decision I ever made was to die. I had been out of a coma for about three days when it became clear how complex and difficult the journey ahead of me would be, not just for me but for my loved ones; I came to the conclusion that rather than burden them with the difficulties of my recovery and post-stroke life, it would be easier to close my eyes and let death embrace me. This, unfortunately, is the stark reality of confronting the world after a stroke for many people.”

Aaron was a fit and healthy sport loving 31-year-old English teacher when he had a stroke. He had been teaching a GCSE lesson on MacBeth when his life changed forever.

“The class were engaged in quiet work when I had a pain like somebody had boiled a kettle, waited for it to whistle, then poured the scalding water over the crevices of my brain. I got cover for the class, walked to reception, asked for paracetamol, and woke up a week later. Looking back, this is the first point at which my mental health began to erode, at the point of diagnosis. Telling somebody they've had a stroke is not like telling somebody they've broken a finger. No, this carries with it a history of stigma, a culture of fear, and a premonition of a lonely path ahead.”

Before this, Aaron had had a prestigious career and life full of achievements. Aaron joined the military and served as a submariner at 20, became a teacher at a prestigious private school Llandovery College at 29 and was awarded a medal at 30. Now at age 31, recovering from a stroke, he was being guided to walk again, was unable to shower alone and was being assessed on his safety while making a cup of tea in a hospital kitchen. Aaron was in University of Hospital, Cardiff and Neath Port Talbot rehab unit for nearly six weeks, unable to see family because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

“When I left hospital, I became aware of how alone I was and felt. Emma was a rock and supported me wholly, but she had no first-hand experience of suffering a stroke. I reached out to stroke forums and Facebook groups, for some detached hand that could guide me in the dark, but the nature of distance meant a revolving cast of people came and went, all just as lost sharing their experience and trying to understand this new post-stroke world. I couldn’t lift my children, my vision was affected and every headache, flash of eye pain, spell of light-headedness was met by a stone-cold belief that I was suffering another stroke.

“My world changed entirely, everything I had taken for granted had to be reconsidered. And when I thought I had overcome the stroke, new issues would come up: panic attacks, fatigue, lifestyle changes. Whenever you feel you are free from the stroke it pulls you back in and reminds you that you are not who you were. The counselling never materialised, I sat on a waiting list for years, but got no luck. Every avenue I had tried was met with failure, failure on behalf of a duty of mental health care, and a systemic failure of post-stroke guidance.”

Today, Aaron is paying for private counselling, which he still has weekly, his business is successful as a writer, physical health besides vision loss is back to previous levels and he is able to do exercise again but the mental health struggles have not disappeared.

“I was putting my son to bed last August, when I suddenly felt the walls close in around me, and an undefinable impending sense of doom. I couldn’t confirm the feelings, but I was rapt by the idea that I was dying, that my brain was bleeding again, and I was about to die. I held my three-year-old son, and wondered if I would ever see him again, if he was about to watch his father die on his bedroom floor, if I were about to burden him with a memory no child deserves. Then it passed. The next day, as I prepared lunch, it happened again. This continued two to three times a day for the next week before my GP prescribed me beta blockers and told me I was having panic attacks due to PTSD from my stroke.

“Three years down the line and here it was again, rearing its head and controlling my life. I yearn for a future in which stroke survivors are walked out of hospital doors with a solution, and a pathway to recovery. A future where stroke survivors don’t say goodbye to their hospital bed and their mental health at the same time. And a future where a stroke isn’t the great unknown for survivors and family members alike, but a clear, concise, careful journey defined by the success of this mental health provision.”

Katie Chappelle, Associate Director for Wales, Stroke Association said, “We know that there is no ‘silver-bullet’ solution for helping stroke survivors rebuild their mental health, yet we want to see mental health given the same attention as physical health when recovering from stroke. Working with Mind Cymru and people affected stroke, we have begun to develop ideas for solutions including a specialist wellbeing recovery group for stroke survivors. However, this idea needs funding if we are going to be able to adequately support people across Wales to rebuild their mental health after stroke.

“We’re calling on those who plan and provide health and social care to work with us to ensure that people affected by stroke receive quality, timely support for their mental health and wellbeing. We urge GPs, Health Boards and clinical staff across the NHS to recognise that identifying and managing mental health issues post-stroke are an essential part of clinical rehabilitation and long-term stroke recovery.

Recovery from stroke is tough, but with the right support and a ton of courage and determination, the brain can adapt. We want to support more people to adapt to their new life after stroke.”

Simon Jones, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Mind Cymru, said: “Recognising parity between physical and mental health is something that’s often talked about, but we still have a long way to go before equal focus and attention is afforded to both.

“Unfortunately, as Aaron’s experiences demonstrate, the knock-on impact to someone’s mental wellbeing of a major health condition such as stroke can be overlooked. All too often this means that people can experience patchy support for their mental health.

“It’s been really positive to work with the Stroke Association, local Minds and people with lived experience on raising awareness of this issue. In developing its next mental health strategy, we urge the Welsh Government to look holistically at physical health services and pathways, so that people are able to access complementary mental health support at the point of need.”

Mae Aaron Kent, sy’n 35 mlwydd oed, yn galw am fwy o gymorth iechyd meddwl arbenigol i oroeswyr strôc wrth iddo frwydro yn erbyn pyliau o bhttps://publish.mynewsdesk.com/#anig ac Anhwylder Straen Wedi Trawma (PTSD) ar ôl strôc

Ffurfiodd Cymdeithas Strôc a Mind Cymru bartneriaeth i baratoi adroddiad sy’n amlygu’r angen i oroeswyr strôc gael cymorth lles ac iechyd meddwl arbenigol i’w helpu i ailadeiladu’u bywydau.

Mae goroeswyr strôc ledled Cymru yn methu â chael cymorth lles ac iechyd meddwl arbenigol gwir ei angen, y mae adroddiad diweddar gan y Gymdeithas Strôc a Mind Cymru yn ei ddatgelu.

Pan fo strôc yn taro, mae rhan o’ch ymennydd yn cau. Fel yn wir y mae rhan ohonoch chi. Mae hynny oherwydd mae strôc yn digwydd yn yr ymennydd, y ganolfan reoli sy’n rheoli pwy ydym a’r hyn y gallwn ei wneud. Mae bywydau’n newid ar amrantiad. O ganlyniad, mae pobl sy’n goroesi strôc yn aml yn profi trafferthion sylweddol â’u hiechyd meddwl, yn cynnwys iselder, gorbryder, hwyliau ansad, pyliau o banig a meddwl am hunanladdiad.

Mae yna fwy na 70,000 o oroeswyr strôc yn byw yng Nghymru. Ac eto, ychydig iawn o gymorth arbenigol sydd ar gael i’w helpu i roi sylw i’w hiechyd meddwl.

Canfu arolwg diweddar a gynhaliwyd gan y Gymdeithas Strôc fod oddeutu tri chwarter goroeswyr strôc yn profi o leiaf un broblem iechyd meddwl ar ôl strôc. Ac eto, dim ond 3% a dderbyniodd gymorth pan oedd arnynt ei angen fwyaf.

Mae’r Gymdeithas Strôc ar hyn o bryd yn cynnig cymorth seicolegol ‘haen 1’ i geisio datrys y bwlch hwn; trwy gydgysylltwyr cymorth yn y gymuned, y llinell gymorth, cymorth cymheiriaid gan oroeswyr strôc eraill, a grwpiau gweithgareddau cymdeithasol. Ond mae yna fwlch mewn cymorth ‘haen 2’ ar gyfer goroeswyr strôc sy’n cael trafferth ag iselder a/neu orbryder ysgafn/cymedrol.

Archwiliodd yr adroddiad brofiad bywyd dros 100 o bobl ledled Cymru, yn cynnwys goroeswyr strôc, anwyliaid goroeswyr strôc a’r rheiny sy’n gweithio â goroeswyr strôc. Canfu rhagor o drafodaethau â 12 o oroeswyr strôc nad yw pobl yn disgwyl yr effaith negyddol ar eu hiechyd meddwl ar ôl profi strôc, ac felly mae’n ysgytiad iddynt. Mae goroeswyr strôc hefyd yn teimlo ar eu pen eu hunain ac yn ansicr o’u hadferiad. Mae’n effeithio ar hunaniaeth pobl, a gallant ei chael hi’n anodd ymaddasu.

Cafodd Aaron Kent, 35 mlwydd oed o Dalgarreg, Llandysul, strôc ym mis Hydref, 2020. Dywedwyd wrth ei wraig, Emma, am gynllunio cynhebrwng ei gŵr, gan nad yw’r rhan fwyaf o bobl sy’n mynd i ysbyty yn ei gyflwr ef yn goroesi. Gwnaeth y tad i ddau o blant ifainc, Otis, 9 mis oed a Rue, 3 mlwydd oed ar y pryd, oroesi ond mae’r daith wella wedi bod yn daith anodd.

“Y penderfyniad mwyaf ingol a wnes erioed oedd marw. Roeddwn wedi deffro o goma ers tua thridiau pan ddaeth hi’n eglur mor gymhleth ac anodd fyddai’r daith o’m blaen, nid dim ond i mi ond hefyd i’m hanwyliaid; deuthum i’r casgliad mai yn hytrach na bod yn faich arnynt gydag anawsterau fy adferiad a bywyd ar ôl strôc, byddai’n haws cau fy llygaid a gadael i farwolaeth fy nghofleidio. Dyma, yn anffodus, yw’r realiti gwirioneddol o wynebu’r byd ar ôl strôc i lawer o bobl.”

Roedd Aaron yn athro Saesneg heini ac iach, 31 mlwydd oed oedd yn caru chwaraeon pan gafodd strôc. Roedd wedi bod yn addysgu gwers TGAU am MacBeth pan newidiodd ei fywyd am byth.

“Roedd y dosbarth yn gwneud gwaith distaw pan gefais wayw fel petai rhywun wedi berwi tegell, aros tan iddo chwibanu, yna tywallt y dŵr berw dros agennau fy ymennydd. Cefais athro i ofalu am y dosbarth, cerddais i’r dderbynfa, gofynnais am barasetamol, a deffrais wythnos yn ddiweddarach. Gan edrych yn ôl, dyma’r adeg gyntaf y gwnaeth fy iechyd meddwl ddechrau erydu, yn adeg y diagnosis. Nid yw dweud wrth rywun ei fod wedi cael strôc fel dweud wrth rywun ei fod wedi torri’i fys. Na, mae gan y gair hwn hanes o stigma, diwylliant o ofn, a drygargoelus ynghylch llwybr unig o’ch blaen.”

Cyn i hyn ddigwydd, cafodd Aaron yrfa glodwiw a bywyd llawn o gyflawniadau. Ymunodd Aaron â’r lluoedd arfog a gwasanaethodd fel tanforwr yn 20 oed, daeth yn athro mewn ysgol breifat glodfawr, Coleg Llanymddyfri, yn 29 oed, a dyfarnwyd medal iddo yn 30 oed. Ac yntau yn awr yn 31 oed, yn gwella o strôc, roedd yn cael ei dywys i gerdded eto, nid oedd yn gallu cymryd cawod ar ei ben ei hun ac roedd yn cael ei asesu ar ei ddiogelwch wrth wneud paned o de mewn cegin ysbyty. Bu Aaron yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru, Caerdydd ac yn uned adsefydlu Castell Nedd am bron chwe wythnos, yn methu â gweld ei deulu oherwydd cyfyngiadau symud Covid-19.

“Pan adawais yr ysbyty, deuthum yn ymwybodol mor unig roeddwn ac y teimlwn. Roedd Emma yn graig ac yn fy nghefnogi’n llwyr, ond nid oedd ganddi brofiad uniongyrchol o ddioddef strôc. Cysylltais â fforymau strôc a grwpiau Facebook i gael cymorth annibynnol a allai fy nhywys yn y tywyllwch, ond golygai natur y pellter fod yna griw cylchdro o bobl yn mynd a dod, y cyfan yr un mor ar goll yn rhannu’u profiad ac yn ceisio deall y byd ôl-strôc newydd hwn. Ni allwn godi fy mhlant, effeithiwyd ar fy ngolwg, ac roedd pob cur pen, fflach o wayw yn fy llygaid, pwl o benysgafnder yn esgor ar gred fel oerfel fy mod yn dioddef strôc arall.

“Newidiodd fy myd yn gyfan gwbl; roedd yn rhaid ailystyried popeth roeddwn wedi’i gymryd yn ganiataol. A phan feddyliais fy mod wedi gorchfygu’r strôc, codai problemau newydd eu pennau: pyliau o banig, lludded, newidiadau yn fy ffordd o fyw. Pa bryd bynnag y teimlwch eich bod yn glir o’r strôc, mae’n eich tynnu yn ôl ac mae’n eich atgoffa nad ydych y person roeddech. Ni ddigwyddodd y cwnsela yn y diwedd, roeddwn yn fy unfan ar restr aros am flynyddoedd, ond ni chefais unrhyw lwc. Roedd popeth y rhoddais gynnig arno wedi bod yn fethiant, methiant o ran dyletswydd gofal iechyd meddwl, a methiant cyfundrefnol o ran arweiniad ôl-strôc.”

Heddiw, mae Aaron yn talu am gwnsela preifat, y mae’n dal i’w gael yn wythnosol. Mae’i fusnes fel ysgrifennwr yn llwyddiannus, mae’i iechyd corfforol, heblaw ei golled golwg, wedi dychwelyd at lefelau blaenorol, ac mae’n gallu gwneud ymarferion unwaith eto ond nid yw’r trafferthion iechyd meddwl wedi diflannu.

“Roeddwn yn rhoi fy mab yn ei wely fis Awst diwethaf, pan deimlais yn hollol sydyn y waliau’n cau amdanaf, a rhyw ymdeimlad nad oedd modd ei ddiffinio bod yna ryw helbul mawr ar fin dod arnaf. Ni allwn gadarnhau’r teimladau, ond fe’m caethiwyd gan y syniad fy mod yn marw, fod fy ymennydd yn gwaedu eto, a fy mod ar fin marw. Gafaelais yn fy mab tair blwydd oed, a meddyliais tybed a fyddwn byth yn ei weld o eto, plentyn oedd ar fin gwylio’i dad yn marw ar lawr ei ystafell wely, a oeddwn ar fin roi’r baich atgof arno nad oes yr un plentyn yn ei haeddu. Yna, fe aeth heibio. Trannoeth, fel roeddwn yn paratoi cinio, digwyddodd eto. Digwyddodd hyn ddwywaith neu deirgwaith y dydd am yr wythnos nesaf cyn i’m Meddyg Teulu ragnodi beta-atalyddion imi, a dweud wrthyf fy mod yn cael pyliau o banig oherwydd Anhwylder Straen Wedi Trawma o’m strôc.

“Tair blynedd yn ddiweddarach a dyma fo unwaith eto, yn codi’i ben ac yn rheoli fy mywyd. Rwyf yn dyheu am ddyfodol lle mae goroeswyr strôc yn cerdded allan o ddrysau ysbytai gydag atebiad, a llwybr i adferiad. Dyfodol lle nad yw goroeswyr strôc yn ffarwelio â’u gwely ysbyty a’u hiechyd meddwl yr un pryd. A dyfodol lle nad yw strôc yn ddirgelwch na wyddys dim amdano ar gyfer goroeswyr ac aelodau’u teulu, fel ei gilydd, ond yn daith eglur, gryno, ofalus a ddiffinnir gan lwyddiant y ddarpariaeth iechyd meddwl hon.”

Dywedodd Katie Chappelle, Cyfarwyddwr Cyswllt Cymru, Cymdeithas Strôc, “Gwyddom nad oes yna ateb gwyrthiol ar gyfer helpu goroeswyr strôc i ailadeiladu’u hiechyd meddwl, ac eto mae arnom eisiau gweld iechyd meddwl yn cael yr un sylw ag iechyd corfforol wrth wella ar ôl strôc. Gan weithio â Mind Cymru a phobl yr effeithir arnynt gan strôc, rydym wedi dechrau datblygu syniadau ar gyfer atebion, yn cynnwys grŵp adfer lles arbenigol i oroeswyr strôc. Fodd bynnag, mae ar y syniad hwn angen cyllid os ydym am fod yn gallu cynorthwyo pobl ledled Cymru’n ddigonol i ailadeiladu’u hiechyd meddwl ar ôl strôc.

“Galwn ar y rheiny sy’n cynllunio ac yn darparu iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i weithio gyda ni i sicrhau bod pobl yr effeithir arnynt gan strôc yn derbyn cymorth prydlon ac o ansawdd ar gyfer eu lles a’u hiechyd meddwl. Anogwn Feddygon Teulu, Byrddau Iechyd a staff clinigol ledled y GIG i gydnabod bod nodi a rheoli materion iechyd meddwl ôl-strôc yn rhan hanfodol o adsefydlu clinigol a gwella cyfnod hir ar ôl strôc.

Mae gwella ar ôl strôc yn galed, ond gyda’r cymorth iawn a llwyth o ddewrder a phenderfyniad, gall yr ymennydd ymaddasu. Mae arnom eisiau cynorthwyo mwy o bobl i ymaddasu i’w bywyd newydd ar ôl strôc.”

Dywedodd Simon Jones, Pennaeth Polisi ac Ymgyrchoedd yn Mind Cymru: “Mae cydnabod cydraddoldeb rhwng iechyd corfforol ac iechyd meddwl yn rhywbeth y siaradir amdano yn aml, ond rydym yn dal ymhell iawn o’r sefyllfa lle y rhoddir ffocws a sylw cyfartal i’r ddau.

“Yn anffodus, fel mae profiadau Aaron yn dangos, gellir diystyru effaith ganlyniadol cyflwr iechyd mawr megis strôc ar les meddwl rhywun. Yn rhy aml o lawer, golyga hyn y gall pobl brofi cymorth anghyson ar gyfer eu hiechyd meddwl.

“Mae hi wedi bod yn wirioneddol gadarnhaol gweithio â’r Gymdeithas Strôc, cymdeithasau Mind lleol a phobl sydd â phrofiad bywyd yn ymwneud â chodi ymwybyddiaeth o’r mater hwn. Wrth ddatblygu’r strategaeth iechyd meddwl nesaf, anogwn Lywodraeth Cymru i ystyried yn gyfannol y llwybrau a’r gwasanaethau iechyd corfforol, fel bod pobl yn gallu cael at gymorth iechyd meddwl cydategol yn y man angen.”