Mental health after critical illness
It is very common to have worries after being a patient on Intensive Care Unit.
A critical illness is an injury or illness which meant you needed treatment in intensive care unit (ICU) or critical care unit. It is common to have worries or feel anxious after being a patient in an ICU:
“Feeling on edge or jumpy.
Worrying about your health and when you will get back to normal.
Being scared you might get sick and end up in ICU again.”
Are some of the feelings expressed by patient after they have been critically ill.
Some patients have delirium in ICU. Delirium is acute confusion, and some people describe it as being like in a nightmare but feels real when they are experiencing it.
It takes time to recover from a critical illness, and it is understandable to feel worried and anxious. It is normal to feel frustrated that your recovery is taking longer than you expect. Keeping a diary about what you are able to on a day-to-day basis, and setting yourself small achievable goals can help show that you are making progress and getting better. This can help you feel better about yourself and improve your mental health.
Many people find that these feelings do settle and become less strong as time goes by. However, if the feelings are affecting your everyday life, and lasting for more than 2-3 months without any sign of improvement, you may need some extra help.
It can feel very frightening if there are gaps in your memory or if you have very confused memories. Learning more about your time on ICU can help you make sense of what you have been through.
Some people describe feeling as if they are on a rollercoaster of feelings while recovering from a critical care illness.
Sometimes worries can come in a wave of feelings. These feelings can sometimes be felt so strongly that they feel to be a panic attack. Panic attacks are a very quick response of fear. People can sometimes feel like they are having a heart attack or dying and it can feel very frightening, especially after a critical illness when they have had the experience of being very ill.
Friends and relatives can feel very worried and upset after critical illness of a loved ones, and may experience some of the feelings of uncertainty. Seeking help can help you equip yourself to support your loved one.