It’s “I love my lungs” day (21^st June) and there are many people living with a lung condition in the United Kingdom, this includes asthma, Long Covid symptoms and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

But….. what has my lungs got to do with my mental health I hear you cry – well, our mind and bodies are connected, meaning what affects one, will affect the other. If I asked you right now to imagine your favourite food (whether that be pizza, pasta, fruit, ice cream etc), imagining what it would smell like, taste like, look like… what is happening in your body right now? Your stomach might be grumbling, you might be drooling etc. This is because by imagining something, your body will react to it.

Our lungs play an important part in keeping us healthy, they inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Sometimes, we may develop a lung condition, and this might mean that our lungs may not work properly, leaving us feeling breathless, out of breath, tired or a feeling that our chest is tight.  It’s very important to seek medical advice from your GP or hospital consultant and take your medication as prescribed. However, in an emergency you should always contact 999.

When we have a lung condition, we don’t just notice the physical effects, our mental health can also be affected. We might notice:

• Feeling anxious and panic when we notice changes to our breathing or we feel breathless (sometimes this can when we the weather changes e.g. very cold or very hot)
• A strong fear of something awful or bad happening to us
• Avoidance of using our inhalers in front of others due to fears of judgment from others
• Withdrawing from social events with friends and family
• Avoiding intimacy with our partner
• Feelings of shame, blame and embarrassment
• Avoidance of exercising in fear of what might happen

We know it can be frightening when we notice any changes to our breathing, but you don’t have to face this alone. We specialise in offering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to those experiencing a long-term health condition (including a lung condition), helping you to reduce your fears and unhelpful thoughts and move forwards, living your life how you want to live it, alongside your lung condition (we want to make friends with it!).

If you think therapy sessions might be helpful or you’re feeling unsure. You can book a 20 minute telephone appointment with us, to talk through your concerns and we can support you in identifying what support would be most helpful for you and coming up with a plan and next steps. You can book an appointment online using our booking form at a day and time that works best for you. Alternatively, you can email us at [email protected] or call us on 01256 975 045.