Emotional Recovery From Surgery: Depression Symptoms, Coping, and Support Medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Mosser on April 28th, 2025. Recovering from surgery can be a physically and emotionally challenging process. Many people experience postoperative depression, even when their procedure is successful and free of complications. Feeling emotional after surgery is a common part of the healing process. This can arise from factors such as stress about regaining full strength, experiencing pain and inflammation, the impact of medications on mood, the body’s reaction to anesthesia, and limited mobility during recovery. Post-surgery depression and anxiety may manifest in different ways—persistent sadness, exhaustion, and a loss of interest in activities you used to …