A Stroke Survivor's Words of Wisdom

In the few months of offering aphasia therapy groups, we have had some profound discussions among people with aphasia and their family members when discussing how aphasia and strokes have impacted their lives. Here is a perspective regarding how aphasia has affected relationships in one stroke survivor's life:

"I thought they were pushing them away, but it was me who was pushing them away."

This stroke survivor shared that prior to having a stroke he had many friends who he would see and interact with on a regular basis but found that changed when he began to suffer from aphasia. He felt that his friends no longer wanted to be around him because he had more difficulty communicating and his ability to express himself took more time. He noticed there were not as many of his friends around. Then he came to a realization: he was the one who was declining invitations to visit friends, rejecting phone calls, and was no longer participating in social activities he previously enjoyed. He came to understand that due to the challenges he recognized in his own communication, he began to avoid social situations out of embarrassment and not wanting to inconvenience others. After some time, h

e realized that he was the one "pushing them away" and now tries to ensure he does not make assumptions about how others will respond. This has allowed him more positive interactions, the opportunity to share his story, and brought him back to being a more social person.