Finding COPD Support

Getting help when you need it is important to managing your chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Family, friends, co-workers and your healthcare team can support you in many ways; psychiatry, individual or group counseling, as well as peer-led support groups can also help you feel less alone, and can teach you tools to manage situations you've never encountered, as well as offer different approaches you may not have thought of before. Explore these resources to help you connect with the support you need.

Social Support

Social support means you have friends, family and other people to turn to when times are hard. When you connect with others, problems seem more manageable and usually your overall quality of life improves. Whether you are having a good day or bad day, chances are someone else has been exactly where you are or wants to lend a helping hand.

• Lung HelpLine
  Our Lung HelpLine is open seven days a week and is staffed by experienced registered nurses, respiratory therapists and certified tobacco treatment specialists. We are here to provide you with the support you need and the answers you are looking for.
• Living with COPD Community on Inspire
  Connect with others, share experiences and learn from friends in this free online forum for people facing lung disease. Our Living with COPD virtual support group can help build your support network and give you a place to chat with peers about how COPD is affecting you.
• Better Breathers Clubs
  Learn ways to cope with lung disease and provide support from others who share in your struggles. Better Breathers Club meetings are in-person support groups that give you the tools you need to live the best quality of life you can.
• Better Breathers Club Network
  Join the Better Breathers Network, which is a nationwide, online patient support program providing direct access to education, support and connection to others also living with chronic lung disease.

Palliative Care

Palliative care improves quality of life by helping to relieve physical and emotional symptoms and can also help communication between you and your healthcare providers. 

Read more about palliative care by reading our Each Breath Blog and download the palliative care worksheet.

Professional Support

One way to connect with a mental health professional such as a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist, is to ask your healthcare provider for a referral. Chances are, they will know where to send you for assistance with connecting to support. Another way is to call your insurance to find in-network providers, or search Psychology Today's database of therapists across the United States.

Become an Advocate

Sometimes helping others is the best way to help ourselves. Advocates speak up for a cause they believe in or a group of individuals they support. Learn how you can speak up to help improve lives for people impacted by COPD.