May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and if you are reading this, chances are you care deeply about your health or the health of someone you love. Maybe you have a parent whose age puts them at higher risk. Maybe a friend recently had a health scare that made you realize how quickly things can change. Or maybe you want to be the kind of person who knows what to do in a crisis, because that knowledge has a way of making all the difference. Whatever brought you here, I am glad you came. Knowing the signs of a stroke and acting fast can be the difference between a full recovery and a lifetime of disability or death.
What Is a Stroke and Why Does It Happen So Fast?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is suddenly interrupted, either because a blood vessel becomes blocked by a clot or because a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds. When that blood supply is cut off, brain cells begin to die rapidly. Research shows that during a stroke, as many as 2 million brain cells are lost every single minute that passes without treatment. This is why nurses and doctors so often say “time is brain.” The brain is remarkably complex and sensitive, and even a few minutes without oxygen can have lasting consequences.
There are three main types of stroke. An ischemic stroke happens when a clot blocks a blood vessel and is the most common type, accounting for the vast majority of strokes. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel bursts, causing bleeding in or around the brain. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes both require immediate emergency medical response. A transient ischemic attack or mini stroke is when symptoms appear briefly and then seem to resolve on their own. However, this does not mean the issues have gone away, and do not be fooled by the term mini. It is a serious warning sign that a larger stroke may be coming, and it deserves the same urgent response.
Numbers Behind Stroke in the United States
Did you know that every 40 seconds, more than 795,000 people experience one, and every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies from a stroke. These numbers are not meant to frighten you, but to raise awareness of how common and how serious this is. From 2011 to 2022, stroke prevalence in the United States actually increased by 7.8%, with rising rates among adults between 18 and 64 years old. This tells us that stroke is not just a condition that affects older adults. It is touching younger people too, which makes awareness even more urgent for every single one of us.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability, and it reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and older. Stroke-related costs have reached nearly $56 billion in just two years. Ultimately, though, behind every statistic is a person, a family, a life that changed in an instant. That is the part we should never lose sight of.
How to Recognize a Stroke: Learning BE FAST
It is critical to help recognize the warning signs of a stroke. I teach this to anyone who will listen because you may someday be the person standing next to someone who needs help. The acronym BE FAST covers the six major warning signs and is designed to be memorable enough to recall under pressure.
B stands for Balance. Watch for a sudden loss of balance or coordination. If someone you love seems to have lost their footing or is stumbling without explanation, pay attention.
E stands for Eyes. Sudden changes in vision, including blurred vision, double vision, or loss of sight in one or both eyes, are a red flag. This can happen without any pain, which is what makes it easy to dismiss. Do not dismiss it.
F stands for Face. Ask the person to smile. If one side of their face droops or appears numb, that is a warning sign. A smile that looks uneven or lopsided needs to be taken seriously.
A stands for Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms at the same time. If one arm drifts downward or feels weak or numb, something is wrong. This can also apply to leg weakness.
S stands for Speech. Listen carefully. Is the person slurring their words? Are they struggling to find the right words, or does what they are saying not make sense? Ask them to repeat a simple sentence and notice if it sounds the way it should.
T stands for Time. If you notice any one of these signs, even if the symptoms seem to come and go, call 911 immediately. It is important to note when symptoms first began, because the best stroke treatments can only be used within a specific window after the first symptoms appear. That detail can guide the entire course of treatment.
Research in 2025 confirmed that both the FAST and BE FAST acronyms are equally effective at motivating people to call 911 promptly. In fact, this motivation lasts even 30 days after learning the information.
Other Symptoms You Should Never Ignore
Beyond the BE FAST signs, there are a few other symptoms that can signal a stroke, and I want to make sure you know them. A sudden, severe headache that feels unlike any headache you have ever had before, sometimes described as a thunderclap, can indicate a hemorrhagic stroke. Sudden confusion, trouble understanding what others are saying, difficulty walking without explanation, or unexplained dizziness are all worth taking seriously.
Women may sometimes experience slightly different symptoms, including sudden and extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, or nausea alongside more typical stroke signs. I want women, especially, to trust their bodies. If something feels terribly wrong and it came on suddenly, please do not wait and see.
Why Calling 911 Is Always the Right Move
I know it can feel awkward to call 911, especially if the person says they feel fine or the symptoms are starting to fade. But I am asking you to call anyway. When you call 911, emergency medical teams can begin evaluating and even treating the person en route to the hospital. They can alert the stroke team so that everything is ready the moment the ambulance arrives. During a stroke, millions of neurons are lost every minute the brain is not receiving adequate blood flow, which is why driving to the hospital yourself is rarely the right choice compared to calling for emergency services.
The clot-dissolving medication known as tPA can significantly reduce the debilitating effects of stroke when it is administered as soon as possible within a 4.5-hour window of symptom onset. That window is everything. Every minute of delay shrinks the options available to the medical team caring for your loved one. Calling 911 immediately is the single most important action you can take.
The Connection Between Mental Health and Stroke
This is the part of stroke care that does not always make it into the conversation, but as a nurse who cares about your whole wellbeing, I feel strongly that it should. Our mental and physical health are deeply connected, and stroke is a powerful example of that truth.
Research has found that depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and insomnia may all contribute to the risk of ischemic stroke. When we carry heavy emotional burdens without support, those burdens do not stay only in our minds. They affect our blood pressure, our inflammation levels, our heart health, and ultimately, our risk for conditions like stroke.
After a stroke occurs, the mental health impact can be just as significant as the physical one. Depression is the most common psychiatric condition that occurs after a stroke, particularly within the first year. Among stroke survivors, studies show that around 31% are affected by depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms in approximately 39%. Nearly one in three survivors will struggle with depression. Nearly two in five will experience significant anxiety. These are not small numbers, and they deserve our compassion and attention.
Strokes can disrupt pathways in the brain that regulate mood, and neurological damage can play a significant role in the development of depression after the event. This means that post-stroke depression is not simply a matter of feeling sad about a difficult diagnosis. It can be rooted in the biological changes the stroke caused in the brain. Understanding this helps us respond to survivors with greater empathy and less judgment.
Depression after stroke also independently increases the chances of having another stroke or cardiovascular event, making it a clinical concern that cannot be overlooked. If you or someone you love is recovering from a stroke and is struggling emotionally, please reach out to a healthcare provider. Treatment is available, and it matters enormously.
Caregivers and Loved Ones Support
When supporting someone who has had a stroke, your well-being matters too. Research found that caregivers and adult children of stroke survivors face increased risk of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety disorders, and other issues. Caregiving is a daily act of love, but it can also be exhausting and emotionally depleting, especially when it happens suddenly and without preparation.
It’s important to allow yourself to grieve and to feel overwhelmed. And you are allowed, and encouraged, to seek your own support. Connecting with a therapist, joining a caregiver support group, or simply asking someone to sit with your loved one so you can rest are all acts of strength, not weakness. A supported caregiver is a better caregiver.
How to Protect Your Brain Health Starting Today
Prevention is a gift you can give yourself. While not every stroke can be prevented, many can be reduced in risk through lifestyle choices and medical care. Managing high blood pressure is one of the most important steps, as it is a leading risk factor for stroke. Staying physically active, eating a diet rich in whole foods, getting quality sleep, managing stress, and not smoking all contribute meaningfully to your brain and cardiovascular health.
New guidelines from 2024 emphasize the importance of blood pressure targets, dietary modification, and lipid management as key pillars of personalized stroke prevention, particularly for younger adults, where stroke rates have remained flat or even risen. Talk to your healthcare provider about your individual risk factors and how you can address them. You do not have to figure this out alone.
What I Want You to Remember
Remember, you can help recognize the signs of a stroke using BE FAST. Calling 911 immediately is always the right move. Mental health is deeply woven into stroke risk and recovery. And caring for yourself or a caregiver in your life is just as important as caring for the person who had the stroke.
Share this information. Teach it to your children, your parents, your neighbors. Talk about it at dinner or in a text message to someone you love. One conversation could save a life, and I genuinely mean that. As a nurse, nothing gives me more hope than a community that looks out for one another. That is exactly why stroke awareness matters so much.