As many as one-half of heart attack survivors may experience some form of psychological stress, including depression, anxiety, or post traumatic stress disorder. While not surprising, those can affect physical recovery and long-term health. A scientific statement in the American Heart Association journal Circulation says persistent psychological stress increases the risk for another heart event in the future. Recognizing and treating psychological distress with known strategies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressant medication, stress reduction techniques and cardiac rehab may improve the quality of life for heart attack survivors. The statement says when recovering from a major cardiac event, emotional recovery is just as important.