If you are a relative of a heart attack survivor, you might believe you should step up right away, do all you can to help, and not show any sign of struggle or weakness yourself.
But that can be difficult, experts say. After all, whether it is your father, sister or partner, when someone you love has a heart attack, there is a tremendous sense of relief that they survived – but new worries emerge.
Often, people tend to choke back those feelings out of concern for the patient, not wanting to upset them or place any additional burden on them.
German heart specialists say relatives tend to hide their own fears, worries and feelings out of a desire to help.
But that can inadvertently have the opposite effect. Isolating yourself and being less than open and frank can create emotional distance, say cardiologist Christoph Herrmann-Lingen and psychologist Jonas Nagel in an article for the German Heart Foundation’s magazine.
