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Common psychological issues

In this section, we've provided some basic information and advice on the common psychological and emotional issues that many patients face after getting home. These include feeling anxious, low or irritable, having flashbacks, mood swings, poor concentration and problems sleeping.Not everyone will face these issues, and some may find them more troublesome than others.We've provided some general advice which we hope you find useful.

It's important to remember that, for some people, psychological or emotional problems arise late in the recovery process, often once they returned to normal. This can be quite difficult for a number of reasons. Some people hide or feel guilty about these issues when they feel that their family has already been through enough and they want to appear strong for everyone else. It's never too late or too difficult to get the help you need.

 

 

 

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Web Link: Healthunlocked.com

Many people find it helpful to hear that other people's experiences are similar to their own or to share their experiences online.This link will take you to the Intensive Care web page of Healthunlocked.They have a blog page in which patients and family members can ask questions and share experiences of Intensive Care and the recovery process.

Web Link: ICU Support Groups

Some people find it helpful to meet and talk with others who have been through similar experiences to their own. This is the weblink to ICUsteps website with details of patient and family support groups UK wide including Edinburgh and Dundee It will tell you more about the groups, who they are, what they do and when and where the meetings are held.

Article: Irritability and mood swings

It is common to feel that your emotions are "all over the place" after having spent time in Intensive Care.Patients often tell us that it is only after they got home or are more physically able, that the emotional side of what has happened comes to the fore. There are many reasons why you might feel like this, all of which are perfectly understandable. Not knowing or not remembering how you ended up in Intensive Care, or what happened while you were there, for example,...

Web Link: Mental Health and Well-being: Health in Mind

This link will take you to the website of Health in Mind, an Edinburgh-based charity promoting postive mental help and well-being across Scotland. They offer a wide rane of support, including information about local services, guided self-help, counselling and trauma support, courses in well-being self-management, etc, etc.

Article: Poor concentration

Patients often tell us that they suffer from poor concentration after Intensive Care. You might struggle to read a newspaper or a book, for example, or you might struggle to follow a television programme or film. Patients also tell us that they often lose interest or "can't be bothered" with some of the things they really enjoyed before, such as listening to music or watching football on the television.This is usually temporary and will start to improve as you recover. It...

External Video: Post Intensive Care Syndrome Family

This video examples what the symptoms are of Post Intensive Care Syndrome Family. It is not uncommon for families to suffer from poor health themselves, as having a loved one in ICU is a stressful and very emotional experience. It explains why this happens and how to seek help

Web Link: Post traumatic stress-treatment options

This link will take you to the NHS Choices website and their pages on the assessment and treatment of Post Traumatic Stress.

Document: Post-traumatic stress-a patient's story

This is a short article in the British Medical Journal.It was written by a former patient who was training to be a Doctor at the time when she became ill.

Web Link: Self help for common psychological issues

This link will take you to a website called "Mood Juice", which has been developed by psychologists in NHS Scotland. You can access and print off useful self-help guides on a number of issues including anxiety, depression, flashbacks,having problems sleeping and bereavement.

Article: Short term memory loss

Article length: 1 minute (Read now or tap the button above to add this resource to your personal library to read later) Some patients experience a range of short-term memory problems after Intensive Care. This is sometimes called "cognitive impairment" or "cognitive dysfunction". This may mean that you have problems remembering things, you may find that you can't concentrate for long periods, or you may find that your attention span is shorter than it was...