Mental Health and Cardiovascular Disease
A serious cardiac diagnosis doesn't just affect the body — it reshapes your emotional world too. Mental Health and Cardiovascular Disease helps you recognise and address the psychological challenges that come with living with heart disease, including anxiety, depression, anger, and uncertainty. Across twelve practical lessons, you'll learn evidence-based coping strategies: calming the mind and body, accepting your diagnosis, managing difficult emotions, and redefining your sense of self. The course also helps you communicate openly with loved ones and care providers, and guides you to professional mental health support. Designed for patients and caregivers who want to care for the whole self.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the bidirectional relationship between mental health and cardiovascular disease.
- Apply acceptance strategies to adjust to a new cardiovascular diagnosis.
- Apply coping strategies to manage uncertainty in chronic cardiovascular illness.
- Apply evidence-based techniques to manage anger as a cardiovascular risk factor.
- Identify cognitive strategies to counteract depressive thinking in cardiac patients.
- Apply mindfulness and cognitive techniques to reduce psychological distress.
- Demonstrate relaxation techniques to reduce physiological stress responses.
- Apply communication strategies to discuss a cardiac diagnosis with family and care providers.
- Construct a personal framework for adapting to life after a cardiovascular diagnosis.
- Apply self-management strategies to maintain well-being while living with heart failure.
- Apply strategies to cultivate resilience and positive outlook with cardiovascular disease.
- Identify how to access mental health support as a cardiac patient.
A serious cardiac diagnosis doesn't just affect the body — it reshapes your emotional world too. Mental Health and Cardiovascular Disease helps you recognise and address the psychological challenges that come with living with heart disease, including anxiety, depression, anger, and uncertainty. Across twelve practical lessons, you'll learn evidence-based coping strategies: calming the mind and body, accepting your diagnosis, managing difficult emotions, and redefining your sense of self. The course also helps you communicate openly with loved ones and care providers, and guides you to professional mental health support. Designed for patients and caregivers who want to care for the whole self.
Course Content
Introduction
Dealing with Uncertainty
Defining your "New Normal"
Discussing Your Diagnosis
Finding a Mental Health Provider
Having a Positive Outlook
Living with Heart Failure
Managing Anger
Managing Depressive Thinking
Accepting your Diagnosis
Calming the Body
Calming the Mind