We spend a lot of time discussing how to cope with aphasia. What is equally important, however, is to raise awareness of how to prevent aphasia from ever happening. One of the most common causes of aphasia is brain damage from stroke. Not all stroke is preventable, but a very large percentage of it is.
There is much written on the topic of stroke risk factors but like many other risks, it is hard to pay attention until misfortune strikes home. In a recent blog post on the website of the documentary SPEECHLESS, John Murphy, a stroke survivor, expresses this sentiment:
Had I realised at the time that my blood pressure being at such a dangerous level would put me in the position I am now, but would also change the lives of my wife and everyone around me, I would have done something about it. Or so you’d think. But no; I’m a man. Most of us men think we are indestructible, but listen to me very carefully: we are not. We are delicate, vulnerable and easily broken – to the point of no return, in some cases.
Even for those who have already had a stroke, it is important to take measures to prevent another stroke from happening. Take a few minutes to inform yourself of the basic risk factors of stroke and ways to prevent it: