Managing Depression Brought On by Living With COPD

Living with COPD is not easy. Dealing with the day-to-day aggravations of being short of breath and the anxiety it causes is hard. But on top of that, a lot of us also suffer from a sense of depression. This is often brought on by our declining health, our failing lungs, compounded with loneliness can be overwhelming.

I am one of those people. It is stressful and stress is not good for our health. I hope you will find useful ideas to help you maintain a healthy outlook and better manage depression. Our physical health is directly related to our mental health.

The power of consistency

Consistency, keeping busy and an upbeat attitude are the most important things for me. I have found that keeping a regular routine is extremely helpful. Getting up at the same time and starting the day with a positive attitude sets me up for success. 

Maintaining a healthy diet, setting times for exercise, keeping my home tidy, and finding ways to interact with other people during the day are all part of my daily routine.

Starting the day with a happy heart

My morning consists of washing my face, opening my blinds, and taking a few minutes to find something I am grateful for.

There may be ten reasons to be sad, but even then, we can find something that warms our hearts. It could be your partner, your child, grandchild, the way the sunrise looks, the smell of your coffee or that you are simply still among the living can be reason enough to be grateful. We cannot over emphasize the importance of gratitude when it comes to winning the battle with depression.

Journaling and making lists

In the morning while I enjoy my one cup of java, I journal. I write down things that I am grateful for that day.

By dating my journals I am able to look back through my entries and see what I wrote about on any given day. When my husband was still alive this was something we did together and today I treasure reading what we each felt gratitude for even when times were rough.

The evening is when I like to recap the events of the day. It is also when I make a list of things I would like to accomplish the following day.

Staying busy

Maintaining a healthy diet and keeping a tidy home will keep you busy. Keeping an updated grocery list helps ensure that you have what you need when preparing your meals.

I tend to feel overwhelmed when my home is not tidy. Therefore, I like to stick to a schedule for my weekly housekeeping tasks. These are simple ways to keep myself busy and a busy day leaves less room for depression.

Daily exercise is my secret weapon against depression. I may not be able to improve my lung function numbers.  However, it's a fact that exercise is key in strengthening bones, improving heart function, and keeping us out of the hospital.

It has been a life changer for me. I wholeheartedly encourage you to work with your doctors on an exercise plan that will be beneficial to your overall health.

Finding connection and joy

Sometimes it is harder to get out and socialize which results in loneliness. Try to keep a few friends that you can text or chat with on a regular basis.

If you take walks or while you are at the grocery store look for opportunities to acknowledge someone you see. It may not be a lot of interaction, but it is better than none.

Just smiling at someone seems to cause them to smile back and for whatever reason it has always made me feel a little bit better. You never know whose day you might brighten.

I hope that you have found a few useful ideas here and incorporate them into your daily life. It would be great to hear about your techniques for coping with depression brought on by living with COPD.

This community is a great place to share our experiences and in doing so we can help each other find joy despite this disease and the impact it has on our lives. Sometimes it’s the simple things we do that make life a little bit better.