NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Vicki Shepherd is well aware of how heart health affects her physical health, but she says it also impacts her mental health.

“It can be very depressing at times,” said Shepherd, who lives with diastolic heart failure. “You’re scared. Will it happen again? Will I be able to get through the day? How will it affect my work? Will people think of me differently?”

she is not alone. Research shows there is a strong link between heart disease and mental health, with one in three people with heart disease facing mental health problems .

“What I often see is that people have fear and anxiety about doing things that they used to do,” said Dr. Katherine Lindley, a cardiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. says.

Dr. Lindley says they have further strengthened support for patients.

“I strongly encourage patients to seek mental health counseling to help them through this difficult time.”

Dr. Lindley said patients who have experienced heart disease often fear that exercise can cause another heart attack. But exercise is beneficial for mental health, so she recommends patients talk to their doctors about cardiac rehabilitation.

“This allows patients to build confidence that it’s safe to start exercising again while providing a safe environment. This allows people to regain some form. “Exercise not only benefits your heart, but it also helps naturally improve hormone levels in your body, which can actually help improve your mental health,” Lindley said.

Shepherd says the lifestyle change has strengthened her positive attitude, which she considers important.

“It’s very important to talk to your loved ones. I was told I had two to five years to live…I’m just over seven years old,” she said. “So what’s important to me is eating right, exercising, and living with purpose. And that’s what helps me get through my struggles.”

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