How Does a Heart Attack Affect Your Mental Health?

Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the United States. Even though heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S., most people will survive a heart attack. And surviving a heart attack comes with many physical and mental changes.

It’s important to pay attention to any mental health symptoms after a heart attack. They commonly lead to conditions like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And all of these conditions can, in turn, increase the risk for heart disease.

But this also means that finding the right support and addressing your mental health can help prevent another heart attack in the future.

Mental health changes after a heart attack

A heart attack is a stressful and life-changing event that can bring new mental health challenges. You might notice these changes in the days and weeks right after a heart attack — or they may take a little longer to process and recognize. 

In the days and weeks after a heart attack, you may notice changes in your emotions, personality, or mood. Examples include:

• Fear

• Confusion

• Worry

• Anger

• Loneliness 

• Stress

• Feeling down or depressed

These symptoms may be short-term and pass with time or improve as you recover physically. For some, the symptoms can last longer and lead to long-term mental health conditions.

Can you develop depression, anxiety, or PTSD from a heart attack?

Yes, in the months and years after a heart attack, some people do develop mental health diagnoses, including:

• Depression: Depression may be diagnosed when depressive symptoms — like having less motivation, feeling hopeless, or pulling away from friends — begin to affect your daily activities. 

• Anxiety: Anxiety may be diagnosed when worry and stress start to affect your physical body and your daily activities. 

• PTSD: PTSD may lead to nightmares, flashbacks, or being hyperaware of your surroundings in reaction to a traumatic event — like a heart attack.

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These mental health conditions are very common after a heart attack. In fact:

• The risk of depression can be three times higher after a heart attack compared to the regular population.

• More than 25% of people may have anxiety after a heart attack.

• Having a heart attack leads to PTSD in about 12% of people who survive.

There are some known factors that can increase your risk for mental health conditions after a heart attack, including:

• A prior history of depression or anxiety

• Financial strain

• Age younger than 55 years 

• Low socioeconomic status

• Smoking

• A diagnosis of obesity

• Single relationship status

• A low rating of one’s own overall health

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Recovery from a heart attack is also mental and emotional

In addition to physical recovery after a heart attack, there’s also mental and emotional recovery. This is a key part of the recovery process for your mental well-being as well as your physical health.

Taking proactive steps to support your mental health after a heart attack may include doing some of the following:

• Checking in on how you’re feeling several times each day

• Paying attention to any symptoms of depression (feeling sad, losing interest in what you used to enjoy, low energy, changes in appetite, sleep changes, or suicidal thoughts)

• Having a team of healthcare professionals that you trust

• Talking with your healthcare team about any new symptoms or concerns

• Building your support system of family and friends

• Finding sources of inspiration and motivation

• Finding ways to move your body to increase your physical activity

• Finding ways to reduce stress

• Seeing a mental health therapist or counselor

• Taking prescribed antidepressant or antianxiety medication 

Can mental health factors cause future heart attacks? 

Untreated stress, anxiety, and depression can increase your risk for a future heart attack. One study showed that if someone has severe depression or anxiety after a heart attack, their risk of another heart problem doubles within 5 years. 

The connection between mental health and heart attacks isn’t fully understood. It’s possible that poor mental health leads to elevated inflammation in the body. This inflammation could then increase plaque in your arteries. It could also be related to other lifestyle factors that are sometimes affected by mental health conditions. Examples include:

• Smoking

• Substance use

• Not taking prescription medications as indicated

• Low energy, which can lead to less physical activity

• Decreased sleep

Finding mental health support after a heart attack

The first step in finding the right support after a heart attack is to notice how it’s affecting your mental health. Asking for help can feel like a hard next step. But know that mental health challenges are common among heart attack survivors. And when you are ready, there are many resources available to help. These include:

• Your healthcare team, which will include a cardiologist as well as a primary care provider. They can both help you find a therapist or psychiatrist if needed.

• A social worker can help with financial resources or other support services you may need.

• There are local, national, in-person, and virtual support groups out there. Consider looking at the American Heart Association as a starting point.

• Cardiac rehabilitation programs will provide you with tools and guidance on lifestyle strategies like exercise and stress reduction. 

• Group exercise classes can be great for your heart health. Not only do they provide physical movement that can be enjoyable, but they also help address feelings of loneliness or isolation that are common after a heart attack. 

• Virtual teletherapy services are growing and may be a good resource for helping you manage stress, anxiety, or depressive symptoms from the comfort of your home.

• If you want to start small, you can find apps that help with stress reduction, mindfulness, lifestyle strategies, or monitoring your overall heart health. 

It’s particularly important to reach out to a healthcare professional right away if your mental health symptoms are affecting your everyday activities or ability to take care of yourself. Some of these symptoms include:

• Difficulty sleeping most nights of the week

• Feelings of restlessness most days

• Significant appetite changes that result in weight gain or weight loss

• Fatigue that’s affecting your ability to carry out your daily activities

• Worrying about things that never used to worry you

• Using substances like alcohol or drugs to help manage your symptoms

If you’re having any thoughts of suicide or self-harm, get help immediately. Call 988 or 911, or ask a loved one to help you get to the emergency room for immediate help. 

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Written by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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