Attitude and Strokes

If you had a stroke, a positive outlook might help prevent another one, a new 2019 study suggests. Researchers found that when people felt they could protect themselves from a second stroke, they had lower blood pressure and high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for a recurrent stroke.

"You can protect yourself against stroke by reducing your risk factors. This study shows that if you think you can do it, you can," said the study's senior author, Bernadette Boden-Albala. The researchers looked at data on more than 400 people who survived a mild or moderate stroke or had a transient ischemia attack.

The group was half female. Their average age was 64. One third of the group was white, about one third were black, and another one-third were Hispanic. Boden-Albala said stress may play a role as well and those who felt they had control would likely feel less stressed. She said, "Patients with a positive attitude had lower systolic blood pressure, irrespective of gender, race, etc., and regardless of intervention status. People with a sense of control seemed destined to have a better outcome."

Physian's Changing Attitudes

Doctors have always encountered the problem of how to best tell their patient of a terminal sentence. Recently, medical professions have been more upfront about tragic news such as this. Physicians used to think that by not telling a person they were dying, it would boost their moral and increase their hope.

During 1961 only 10% believed it was correct to tell a patient of a fatal diagnosis. This changed after studies were done that revealed nearly 90% of patients said they would like to know the truth of their prognosis.

By 1979, physicians had completely reversed their beliefs and a survey revealed that 97% felt full disclosure was the correct course to take.

Attitude Changers

Here are some ideas to perk up your attitude.

Asking people to list three things they are grateful for in life or three events that have gone well during the past week can significantly increase their level of happiness for about a month.

People become much happier after the smallest acts of kindness.

Adding plants to an office results in a fifteen percent boost in the number of creative ideas and helps produce more original solutions to problems.

Lightly touching someone on their upper arm makes them far more likely to agree to a request. In one study, the touch produced a twenty percent increase in the number of people who accepted an invitation to dance in a nightclub and a ten percent increase in those who would give their telephone number to a stranger on the street.

Praising a child’s effort rather than their ability encourages them to try.

Visualizing taking steps required to achieve a goal is more effective than dreaming about the goal.