Chris Murphy, from Millstreet, said building relationships with other stroke survivors through Cork Stroke Support helped him hugely.
More services are needed to address mental health challenges after a stroke, and to support families, a stroke survivor has said.
A new report from Cork Stroke Support (CSS) and University College Cork (UCC) found there were eight individual organisations/volunteers that provide stroke support services in Cork, and 20 in Munster, but identified gaps in service provision, with survivors surveyed noting supports for their mental health are often lacking.
Chris Murphy, a 51-year-old from Millstreet who had a stroke nearly five years ago, said: “There is a lot of emphasis on physical recovery but not enough on the mental side… my confidence took a big hit.”