{"id":18745,"date":"2021-06-10T13:46:51","date_gmt":"2021-06-10T03:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?page_id=18745"},"modified":"2021-07-20T16:30:14","modified_gmt":"2021-07-20T06:30:14","slug":"big-feelings","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/big-feelings\/","title":{"rendered":"Big feelings"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":20005,"parent":10397,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18745","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Big feelings - Lung Foundation Australia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Experiencing big feelings, which are generally negative feelings, is normal for people living with lung conditions. Learn coping strategies.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/big-feelings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Big feelings - Lung Foundation Australia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Experiencing big feelings, which are generally negative feelings, is normal for people living with lung conditions. 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They can be overwhelming and can last for minutes or days. Often, big feelings are not discussed by health professionals or if they are, they are glossed over. This section discusses strategies and techniques to help you manage the emotional side of living with a lung condition.","link":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"column_content","columns":[{"column_type":"text","heading_text":"Loss and grief","paragraph_text":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Loss has two categories:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Physical<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0loss\u00a0is tangible.\u00a0For example:\u00a0something\u00a0stolen,\u00a0lost or left behind,\u00a0death of a pet\u00a0or\u00a0the loss of income.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Symbolic<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0loss\u00a0usually involves elements of peoples\u2019\u00a0lives which are intangible, although vital to them.\u00a0For\u00a0example:\u00a0a divorce or relationship breakdown, chronic or terminal illness\u00a0or\u00a0the shattered hopes and dreams associated with the physical loss.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Loss can leave people sad, bereft and grieving. Physical loss, because it\u2019s more obvious, is easier to recognise. The person is \u201cgiven permission\u201d by society and themselves to mourn the loss. They are not seen as \u201cbroken\u201d or \u201cweak\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However symbolic loss, such as a diagnosis of a lung condition or disease progression, is harder to recognise. The person and those around them may not immediately realise that a loss has occurred or may downplay the impact and put on a brave face. This attempt to downplay or be brave can result in the person feeling the grief experience more intensely.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>\u201cYou do grieve and experience loss when someone is diagnosed with an illness. You find that your future is not as you planned and has changed dramatically.\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Anonymous, living with a chronic lung condition.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","button_display_setting":false,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":null,"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"#f9f9f9","column_image":false,"youtube_video_url":""},{"column_type":"image","heading_text":"","paragraph_text":"","button_display_setting":false,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":null,"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"transparent","column_image":{"ID":18746,"id":18746,"title":"Worried senior man sitting alone in his home","filename":"iStock-1211839973-scaled.jpg","filesize":486386,"url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/big-feelings\/worried-senior-man-sitting-alone-in-his-home\/","alt":"","author":"85","description":"","caption":"Worried senior man sitting alone in his home","name":"worried-senior-man-sitting-alone-in-his-home","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":18745,"date":"2021-06-10 03:41:16","modified":"2021-06-10 03:41:16","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-300x213.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":213,"medium_large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-768x546.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":546,"large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-1024x728.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":728,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-1536x1093.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1093,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-2048x1457.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1457,"xxlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-1920x1366.jpg","xxlarge-width":1920,"xxlarge-height":1366,"xlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-1280x911.jpg","xlarge-width":1280,"xlarge-height":911,"header-navigation":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-480x1080.jpg","header-navigation-width":480,"header-navigation-height":1080,"link-category":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-380x256.jpg","link-category-width":380,"link-category-height":256,"card":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-450x450.jpg","card-width":450,"card-height":450,"gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-sm-width":300,"gform-image-choice-sm-height":213,"gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-md-width":400,"gform-image-choice-md-height":285,"gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1211839973-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-lg-width":600,"gform-image-choice-lg-height":427}},"youtube_video_url":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg_content_area","heading":"","content":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">While loss and associated grief can feel very distressing, it actually plays an important and often significant role in people coming to terms with the gravity of living with a lung condition. Grief acts as an adjusting emotion. But it can also take you on a rollercoaster of overwhelming feelings and emotions like fear, sadness, anger, denial, disbelief, worry, anxiousness, helplessness, guilt and impatience.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">These feelings and emotions can hit like a tidal wave when you least expect it. They tend to cycle around and can change from sadness, to anger, to denial and back again to sadness. These emotions are not felt in a linear progression; they happen in no particular order and can fluctuate.\u00a0\u00a0Over time, as you adjust to a \u201cnew normal\u201d, the grief reaction should decline and you will begin to feel more normal again. If these feelings increase or don\u2019t naturally begin to fade away, seek help from a mental health professional.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","link":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"column_content","columns":[{"column_type":"image","heading_text":"Other Big Feelings that get in the way","paragraph_text":"<p><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">As well as fear, many people can experience higher than usual levels of anger, sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, frustration<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">stress<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">\u00a0and impatience<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">\u00a0Noticing that you might not be as calm as you once were<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">\u00a0is yet another normal reaction to living\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">with a lung\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">condition<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","button_display_setting":false,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":null,"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"transparent","column_image":{"ID":18747,"id":18747,"title":"Lost in thoughts unhappy stressed woman regretting of wrong decision.","filename":"iStock-1207723226-scaled.jpg","filesize":465349,"url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/big-feelings\/lost-in-thoughts-unhappy-stressed-woman-regretting-of-wrong-decision\/","alt":"Lost in thoughts unhappy stressed woman","author":"85","description":"","caption":"Frustrated young lady sitting on sofa, cuddling pillow, looking away at window. Lost in thoughts unhappy stressed millennial woman regretting of wrong decision, spending time alone in living room.","name":"lost-in-thoughts-unhappy-stressed-woman-regretting-of-wrong-decision","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":18745,"date":"2021-06-10 03:43:29","modified":"2024-05-30 23:47:18","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1760,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-300x206.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":206,"medium_large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-768x528.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":528,"large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-1024x704.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":704,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-1536x1056.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1056,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-2048x1408.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1408,"xxlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-1920x1320.jpg","xxlarge-width":1920,"xxlarge-height":1320,"xlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-1280x880.jpg","xlarge-width":1280,"xlarge-height":880,"header-navigation":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-480x1080.jpg","header-navigation-width":480,"header-navigation-height":1080,"link-category":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-380x256.jpg","link-category-width":380,"link-category-height":256,"card":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-450x450.jpg","card-width":450,"card-height":450,"gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-sm-width":300,"gform-image-choice-sm-height":206,"gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-md-width":400,"gform-image-choice-md-height":275,"gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1207723226-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-lg-width":600,"gform-image-choice-lg-height":413}},"youtube_video_url":""},{"column_type":"text","heading_text":" Fear","paragraph_text":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fear is one of the emotions that alerts\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0something\u00a0not being\u00a0safe,\u00a0good\u00a0or welcoming. Fear helps to keep us safe but when\u00a0it\u00a0gets out of control, it can make life miserable. People with\u00a0lung\u00a0conditions\u00a0can experience greater levels of fear\u00a0due to factors such as\u00a0the unknown, breathlessness, exacerbations,\u00a0disease progression\u00a0and\u00a0mortality.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fear can be experienced in many types of ways. People living with a lung disease or lung cancer are likely to experience a particular type of fear that comes from the impact of the condition. This fear is like an inner minefield; the silent thoughts that haunt quiet moments and force your brain to consider the ultimate realities and possible consequences of having a lung condition. It is these fears that can leave you feeling vulnerable, scared, isolated and alone.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There are many times that the wisest course of action is to actually allow yourself to be scared, worried or fearful. It is only when you acknowledge these big, \u201cscary\u201d feelings that you will begin to feel more in control. Feeling fear at certain times is normal and to be expected. If you feel like your fear is getting out of control, that is an almost certain sign that you might benefit from talking to a mental health professional. They will be able to give you strategies to help get it back under control.<\/span><\/p>\n","button_display_setting":false,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":null,"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"transparent","column_image":false,"youtube_video_url":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"column_content","columns":[{"column_type":"text","heading_text":"Other Big Feelings that get in the way","paragraph_text":"<p><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">As well as fear, many people can experience higher than usual levels of anger, sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, frustration<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">stress<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">\u00a0and impatience<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">\u00a0Noticing that you might not be as calm as you once were<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">\u00a0is yet another normal reaction to living\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">with a lung\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">condition<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW191638822 BCX0\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","button_display_setting":true,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":{"title":"Read our blog about dealing with big feelings ","url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/news\/what-are-big-feelings\/","target":"_blank"},"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"transparent","column_image":false,"youtube_video_url":""},{"column_type":"text","heading_text":"Mental health care plan","paragraph_text":"<p><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">A mental health care plan is developed with your GP.\u00a0 It can assist you to access mental health professionals such as psychologists, social\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">workers<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">\u00a0or occupational therapists. The plan can help\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun CommentStart SCXW1354269 BCX0\">to make appointments more affordable<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">. You\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">don\u2019t<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">\u00a0have to be diagnosed with a mental health condition to talk to your doctor about\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">whether\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">a plan<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">\u00a0would be\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">suitable for you<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">. It\u2019s normal that you might feel nervous about starting the\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW1354269 BCX0\">conversation<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">\u00a0but you<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">r<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW1354269 BCX0\">\u00a0GP will commonly discuss these plans.<\/span><\/p>\n","button_display_setting":true,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":{"title":"Find out more about Mental Health Care Plans","url":"https:\/\/www.healthdirect.gov.au\/mental-health-treatment-plan","target":"_blank"},"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"#f9f9f9","column_image":{"ID":18748,"id":18748,"title":"Senior male patient sitting upset on bed with stick at retirement home","filename":"iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","filesize":345633,"url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/big-feelings\/senior-male-patient-sitting-upset-on-bed-with-stick-at-retirement-home\/","alt":"","author":"85","description":"","caption":"Side view of senior Caucasian male patient sitting upset on bed with stick at retirement home","name":"senior-male-patient-sitting-upset-on-bed-with-stick-at-retirement-home","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":18745,"date":"2021-06-10 03:46:04","modified":"2021-06-10 03:46:04","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1743,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-300x204.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":204,"medium_large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-768x523.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":523,"large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1024x697.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":697,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1536x1046.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1046,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-2048x1394.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1394,"xxlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1920x1307.jpg","xxlarge-width":1920,"xxlarge-height":1307,"xlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1280x871.jpg","xlarge-width":1280,"xlarge-height":871,"header-navigation":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-480x1080.jpg","header-navigation-width":480,"header-navigation-height":1080,"link-category":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-380x256.jpg","link-category-width":380,"link-category-height":256,"card":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-450x450.jpg","card-width":450,"card-height":450,"gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-sm-width":300,"gform-image-choice-sm-height":204,"gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-md-width":400,"gform-image-choice-md-height":272,"gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-lg-width":600,"gform-image-choice-lg-height":409}},"youtube_video_url":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"column_content","columns":[{"column_type":"text","heading_text":"Stigma and lung disease","paragraph_text":"<p><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">People who perceive that they are being stigmatised will often feel guilt, shame and embarrassment associated with their\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">condition<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">, regardless of whether they smoked or not.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">Everyone,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">regardless of how they developed\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">a<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">lung\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">condition,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">deserv<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">es<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">support and understanding.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW233769197 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","button_display_setting":true,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":{"title":"Learn more about dealing with stigma and shame","url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/news\/dealing-with-feelings-of-stigma-and-shame\/","target":"_blank"},"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"transparent","column_image":false,"youtube_video_url":""},{"column_type":"image","heading_text":"","paragraph_text":"","button_display_setting":false,"button":{"":null,"button_type":"Link Button","link":null,"email":"","file":false,"modal_trigger":"","button_text":""},"background_colour":"transparent","column_image":{"ID":18748,"id":18748,"title":"Senior male patient sitting upset on bed with stick at retirement home","filename":"iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","filesize":345633,"url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/big-feelings\/senior-male-patient-sitting-upset-on-bed-with-stick-at-retirement-home\/","alt":"","author":"85","description":"","caption":"Side view of senior Caucasian male patient sitting upset on bed with stick at retirement home","name":"senior-male-patient-sitting-upset-on-bed-with-stick-at-retirement-home","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":18745,"date":"2021-06-10 03:46:04","modified":"2021-06-10 03:46:04","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1743,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-300x204.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":204,"medium_large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-768x523.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":523,"large":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1024x697.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":697,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1536x1046.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1046,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-2048x1394.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1394,"xxlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1920x1307.jpg","xxlarge-width":1920,"xxlarge-height":1307,"xlarge":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-1280x871.jpg","xlarge-width":1280,"xlarge-height":871,"header-navigation":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-480x1080.jpg","header-navigation-width":480,"header-navigation-height":1080,"link-category":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-380x256.jpg","link-category-width":380,"link-category-height":256,"card":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-450x450.jpg","card-width":450,"card-height":450,"gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-sm-width":300,"gform-image-choice-sm-height":204,"gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-md-width":400,"gform-image-choice-md-height":272,"gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1140154493-scaled.jpg","gform-image-choice-lg-width":600,"gform-image-choice-lg-height":409}},"youtube_video_url":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg_content_area","heading":"","content":"<h3><span data-contrast=\"none\">When to seek help?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Help can come in many forms\u00a0including\u00a0from\u00a0family, friends,\u00a0neighbours\u00a0or\u00a0medical and allied health professionals.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">Feeling sad,\u00a0fearful, worried and low are normal\u00a0and expected reactions to\u00a0a\u00a0diagnosis,\u00a0exacerbation,\u00a0\u00a0progression\u00a0or recurrence.\u00a0But\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0important to seek professional help from a mental health professional when these big feelings cause significant distress and begin disrupting your life.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div class=\"copy\"><strong>\u201cWhen it comes to dealing with mental health and emotional issues you are confronting, you need to have a willingness to reach out for help and not care what people think.\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Anonymous, living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Trying to work out what\u00a0are\u00a0normal and expected\u00a0feelings\u00a0can be difficult.\u00a0\u00a0One\u00a0strategy\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0track the frequency of your feelings of significant distress. You should also consider the impact the distress has on your daily life; this can help you to understand what a normal emotional reaction is and when you might need to reach out for help.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Ask yourself the following questions: Is my distress significant most of the day, on most days and for a period of time that is uncomfortable? Does my distress prevent me from living my best life and carrying on with life the way I would like to? If your answer is yes, seek assistance from a mental health professional. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Another good indication you may need to seek help is if you or loved ones begin to notice that you are \u201cnot your normal self\u201d. These changes may include less patience, feeling snappy, increased daydreaming, disturbed sleep or wanting to sleep more, changes in appetite or a loss of interest in things that normally bring you pleasure. These are all indicators that you might not be coping in helpful ways and may need some support to get yourself back on track.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","link":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"lead_in_text","heading":"Print resources","copy":"Complete the form below to receive these resources as printable PDFs.","link":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"form","heading":"","text":"","form":13},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg_content_area","heading":"","content":"<p>Mind Matters was part funded by a COVID Response Grant from MSD.<\/p>\n","link":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"featured_posts_static","heading":"Resources","view_more_link":"","posts":[{"ID":19078,"post_author":"85","post_date":"2021-01-14 13:28:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-01-14 03:28:00","post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>It is not&nbsp;unusual to experience \u2018big feelings\u2019 or 'big emotions' when living with a lung condition. Many people experience higher than usual levels of anger, sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, frustration, stress and impatience. Noticing that you might not be as calm as you&nbsp;once&nbsp;were,&nbsp;is another normal reaction to living&nbsp;with a lung&nbsp;condition.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>These&nbsp;big&nbsp;feelings might become more evident when you are tired, sick or worried about something like going to&nbsp;a&nbsp;specialist appointment or&nbsp;receiving test results. If you notice you are experiencing higher than usual levels of negative emotions, this is a good time to talk to someone about how you are going. Your GP might be a good place to start and you may be able to get a referral to&nbsp;see a mental health professional.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:quote -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>\"<em>You need to give the mental health professionals time and capacity to help you.&nbsp; Just give it a chance.<\/em>\"<\/p><cite>Anonymous, living with a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:quote -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Tips for when you feel&nbsp;overwhelmed&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In general, when your brain is feeling overwhelmed, you are more likely to notice that your patience is reduced, you may be&nbsp;more likely to snap at people around you and feel higher levels of hopelessness and frustration.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>&nbsp;One strategy to assist with these times is to acknowledge that you are feeling&nbsp;\u201cout of sorts\u201d. Let your mind be curious about what it is you are actually feeling.&nbsp;What is your self-talk saying to you? Write it down,&nbsp;as&nbsp;it can help with organising your thoughts. It might be that you are feeling overwhelmed by all&nbsp;your&nbsp;appointments, or maybe work is particularly busy, or you are wondering how you are going to afford medication or&nbsp;the&nbsp;house modifications you might need.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Look at the things you have written down and make a list of&nbsp;those&nbsp;you can do something about,&nbsp;and another for what is&nbsp;\u2018out of your control\u2019. Take one thing off the list you can do something about and get started on it; this&nbsp;action&nbsp;will help you feel more in control and should help to reduce some of the stress you feel.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:media-text {\"mediaPosition\":\"right\",\"mediaId\":19079,\"mediaLink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/lungfoundation.com.au\\\/?attachment_id=19079\",\"mediaType\":\"image\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1193778650-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Father and son discussing big feelings over a cup of tea. \" class=\"wp-image-19079 size-full\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Another thing you can do is&nbsp;to&nbsp;tell your partner, family or trusted friends that you are feeling overwhelmed. When they know you are struggling, they will be less likely to take offence if you are&nbsp;snappy towards them. Talking to trusted people about how you feel helps them feel more connected to you,&nbsp;and you to them. It is&nbsp;OK&nbsp;to tell them you don\u2019t need them to fix anything, that you just want them to listen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:media-text -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>What if&nbsp;I just feel&nbsp;numb?&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Another way people can react to the impact of living with&nbsp;lung cancer or a&nbsp;lung disease, especially one that is life-limiting or significantly changes your lifestyle, is to feel nothing but numb. You might feel&nbsp;as if&nbsp;you are wading through molasses;&nbsp;people, things and even sound feel slightly muffled and removed. You might feel heavy and&nbsp;as if&nbsp;your reactions are slowed, and you just can\u2019t find the energy to smile or talk. Other people feel like they are on&nbsp;auto-pilot;&nbsp;they can feel themselves going through the motions but don\u2019t feel connected to the experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:quote -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>\"<em>At the time of diagnosis, I tried to be tough for everyone because your family falls to pieces. You just become numb and run on autopilot.<\/em>\"<\/p><cite>- Anonymous, living with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:quote -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This feeling of numbness or being on autopilot are aspects of dissociation. It is the brain\u2019s way of trying to protect you from feeling too much and is quite normal in certain circumstances. If you get these feelings, rest assured&nbsp;that&nbsp;you are&nbsp;not going crazy. However,&nbsp;if these feelings persist beyond a short period of time or begin to impact you in one or more domains of your life, you should seek assistance from a mental health professional.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Learning&nbsp;to \u2018sit&nbsp;with&nbsp;your emotions\u2019&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When we get upset, it is natural&nbsp;to&nbsp;try to push that&nbsp;feeling away. Generally, this strategy is not very effective.&nbsp;Instead, a&nbsp;good&nbsp;way&nbsp;to manage&nbsp;difficult emotions is to simply let them sit there for a while, eventually the&nbsp;emotion will change into another one,&nbsp;and a bit later change again.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Emotions are a bit like the weather;&nbsp;they change throughout any given day, depending on what we do and what happens around us. Learning to let emotions just sit with us and not actually trying to do anything about them can be a huge relief. When we open up to this possibility, we&nbsp;free ourselves to do other things. Sometimes we can help ourselves to change distressing emotions to something more positive by doing something we enjoy, something that normally gives us pleasure.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>&nbsp;By reminding ourselves of the things we like doing, the things we are grateful for and the things that make our heart sing, we provide ourselves with opportunities to feel positive emotions and when we feel positive emotions,&nbsp;we are more able to feel optimistic and hopeful.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>You may wish to&nbsp;view our Mindfulness and Self-compassion&nbsp;guided practices,&nbsp;which can help to increase your ability to be present and flexible in our responses to life\u2019s joys and challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Are you looking for more information about caring for your mental health and wellbeing?<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:buttons {\"contentJustification\":\"center\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center\"><!-- wp:button -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/\">Visit our Mind Matters Information Hub<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:buttons -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","post_title":"Living with big feelings","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"what-are-big-feelings","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-06-29 09:58:14","post_modified_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:58:14","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?post_type=article&#038;p=19078","menu_order":0,"post_type":"article","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":227,"post_author":"3","post_date":"2018-09-05 10:24:44","post_date_gmt":"2018-09-05 00:24:44","post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Join us for our webinar on the psychological needs of people living with lung cancer as part of our Lung Cancer Connect series, funded by Cancer Australia (Australian Government).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In this webinar our speakers go through the emotions felt when diagnosed and how to deal with these and discuss stigma that is often experienced. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>For information about Lung Cancer visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/conditions\/lung-cancer\/overview\/\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>If you would like information, support or to speak to our <a href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/support-services\/support\/\">Lung Cancer Support Nurse <\/a>you can contact our Information and Support Centre on<a href=\"Tel:1800654301\"> 1800 654 301.<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","post_title":"The psychological needs of patients with lung cancer","post_excerpt":"Join our Lung Cancer Connect series webinar on the psychological needs of patients with Lung Cancer. This project was funded by Cancer Australia, Australian Government.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lung-cancer-connect-webinar-the-psychological-needs-of-patients-with-lung-cancer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-03-17 09:10:27","post_modified_gmt":"2021-03-16 23:10:27","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=227","menu_order":0,"post_type":"resource","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":19139,"post_author":"85","post_date":"2021-06-15 10:55:42","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-15 00:55:42","post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Having&nbsp;effective&nbsp;self-care&nbsp;strategies&nbsp;can help you&nbsp;to take care of&nbsp;your mental&nbsp;health, maintain overall wellbeing, manage illness&nbsp;and&nbsp;care for others.&nbsp;While in theory it may seem simple,&nbsp;it is important to plan&nbsp;and dedicate time&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;self-care&nbsp;routine.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Self-care&nbsp;can help&nbsp;you&nbsp;to improve your mood and to&nbsp;manage&nbsp;the&nbsp;stress&nbsp;and challenges&nbsp;of&nbsp;living with a lung condition.&nbsp;These self-care strategies can also be&nbsp;beneficial&nbsp;for carers,&nbsp;family&nbsp;and friends.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>How to start a self-care&nbsp;routine&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Starting each&nbsp;day with a routine is a good way to ensure you get your daily dose of self-care.&nbsp;A&nbsp;self-care routine&nbsp;creates&nbsp;structure, a sense of accomplishment and can act as&nbsp;an&nbsp;anchor to maintaining emotional wellbeing. Building in flexibility will help you to maintain&nbsp;your self-care&nbsp;routine even when things go wobbly. It is important to ensure you nurture your body and your mind.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>A few tips&nbsp;for what&nbsp;to include in&nbsp;your&nbsp;morning&nbsp;self-care&nbsp;routine:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><li>Eat breakfast. Try a fruit smoothie if you are struggling to manage things&nbsp;that are&nbsp;more solid.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Get some sunshine. This helps with our sleep\/wake cycle. Try eating your breakfast in a sunny nook or on the&nbsp;verandah.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Do some exercise. 10-20 minutes of walking is an ideal way to&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;some&nbsp;sunshine&nbsp;or you could do some arm and leg weights.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Make a plan&nbsp;for the rest of the day. If you already have this done, review it over breakfast.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Find 5-10 minutes to sit or lie quietly and just be. Some people like to&nbsp;meditate&nbsp;or you can just sit and notice things around you.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Try to get up with enough time to&nbsp;be&nbsp;ready for your day without rushing.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Why movement&nbsp;is&nbsp;important&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Try&nbsp;to get your body moving every day. Exercise is one of the best ways to combat depression and feeling low. Going for a walk encourages&nbsp;your brain to release \u2018feel good\u2019 hormones. Many people with a lung condition become fearful of exercise, especially if they struggle with breathlessness.&nbsp;We&nbsp;all have receptors in our brain that set off our \u2018alarm system\u2019&nbsp;and&nbsp;when we get too breathless, this can cause you to feel anxious or panic. If that happens, the brain\u2019s feedback loop will tell you it is unsafe to exercise.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Your GP can refer you to a&nbsp;pulmonary&nbsp;rehabilitation&nbsp;program, respiratory physiotherapist or exercise physiologist&nbsp;with&nbsp;expertise&nbsp;in&nbsp;lung conditions. They can show you how to exercise safely and within your body\u2019s limits and capabilities. They can even show you how to exercise if you need oxygen therapy. Staying fit, maintaining movement and maintaining good muscle tone is crucial&nbsp;to&nbsp;helping you manage your lung condition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Importance of mental health&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Taking care of your mental&nbsp;and emotional health is just as important as making sure you keep your body in the best possible health. Mind and body are inextricably&nbsp;linked&nbsp;and it makes sense that what impacts one&nbsp;will&nbsp;impact the other. Learning how to maintain healthy emotions will make managing your&nbsp;lung&nbsp;condition easier.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Some people like to set time aside each day to meditate&nbsp;or&nbsp;practise&nbsp;mindfulness. Just like going to the gym or a&nbsp;pulmonary&nbsp;rehabilitation session, this time of reflection, focus and introspection is&nbsp;a&nbsp;dedicated time&nbsp;to&nbsp;pursue this activity.&nbsp;And&nbsp;just like physical activity, some people prefer to incorporate mindful practice into their everyday activities rather than&nbsp;practising&nbsp;it a dedicated time.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLx5RMZtuxzUS6XD6r-jf6kcB5X2vRf6Uc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;See our Mindfulness and Self-compassion Guided Practices to get your started.&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Similar to&nbsp;physical health, improving your emotional \u2018fitness\u2019 takes practice, patience and time. If you allow yourself to become emotionally fitter each day, in time you will look back and&nbsp;realise&nbsp;that&nbsp;you are more aware of and more in control of your emotions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Learning how thoughts influence emotions does&nbsp;not mean that we will never feel sad, angry, disappointed, frustrated or&nbsp;the&nbsp;myriad of other emotions which leave us feeling flat. It just means that when these normal and natural emotions show up, you will have a better sense of why they are there and how to deal with them.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:quote -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><strong>\"<em>I have gained mental maturity through the experience of lung disease. You need to process things, break them down and learn not to feed on it.\" <\/em><\/strong><\/p><cite>- Anonymous, living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:quote -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Why having a team&nbsp;is important?&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:media-text {\"mediaPosition\":\"right\",\"mediaId\":19140,\"mediaLink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/lungfoundation.com.au\\\/?attachment_id=19140\",\"mediaType\":\"image\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/iStock-1146553476-1024x701.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19140 size-full\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\"><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Humans are not meant to live in isolation and be solitary. We all need a \u2018team\u2019.&nbsp;When&nbsp;you have a diagnosis of a chronic or life-limiting lung&nbsp;condition,&nbsp;more than ever you need to make sure you have your team around you.&nbsp;Get your team on board as soon as you can. The more they understand your lung condition and the possible support you will need now,&nbsp;and in the future, the better you will fare. Having discussions with family, friends and support&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;early means that you will feel better prepared when and if your disease progresses and your support needs increase.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/div><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:media-text -->\n\n<!-- wp:separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>Are you looking for more information about caring for your mental health and wellbeing?<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:buttons {\"contentJustification\":\"center\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center\"><!-- wp:button -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/after-your-diagnosis-title\/mental-health\/\">Visit our Mind Matters Information Hub<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:buttons -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","post_title":"Holistic self-care","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"holistic-self-care","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-06-29 10:15:01","post_modified_gmt":"2021-06-29 00:15:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?post_type=article&#038;p=19139","menu_order":0,"post_type":"article","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]}],"subtitle":"Mind Matters","disable_header_overlay":false},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18745"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20386,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18745\/revisions\/20386"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}