The physical challenges of managing COPD can sometimes affect your mood and emotional health. Most people living with COPD experience feelings of sadness, fear and worry at times. This is common and normal when coping with a serious illness.
COPD patients have higher rates of anxiety and depressive disorders (6,16), compared to normal persons.
Social status
Subjects with COPD less frequently had a partner and, when having a partner, they were less likely to be 'very satisfied' with the daily support they received from their partner than non-COPD subjects. Subjects with COPD also perceived emotional support less often compared to non-COPD subjects (Table 4).
1) Daily activities and COPD
Living with breathlessness can affect your daily routines and the way in which you manage the daily tasks that we all need to do; getting dressed, having a shower, shopping, cooking and so on. You may notice there are times when you are more, or less, breathless.
The sense of guilt that may accompany COPD, related to the individual's smoking history may also be a factor. As a result, studies have shown that between 20-60% of people with COPD have concomitant anxiety and depression.
COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of a slimy substance called mucus. It can also cause problems breathing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Symptoms of COPD often develop slowly but worsen over time, and they can limit your ability to do routine activities.
People with COPD may have overall cognitive impairment or impairment in specific cognitive domains that affect information processing, attention, concentration, memory, executive functioning, and self-control (5).
Anxiety and depression are common mental health illnesses in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Fear of Suffocation
Most patients had experienced anxiety associated with COPD. The most obvious anxiety and panic were associated with acute respiratory distress.
Conclusion. COPD patients have a higher risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment compared to those without COPD, and this risk is not affected by gender but seems to be associated with age.
GOLD recognizes two major treatable traits in COPD – dyspnea and exacerbations.
By improving your lifestyle, you can live a long and full life with COPD. A common misinterpretation is that 'Chronic' means really bad or extreme rather than long term. Individuals who exercise more and maintain a healthy weight can experience less severe symptoms and enjoy a better quality of life.
Many people will live into their 70s, 80s, or 90s with COPD.” But that's more likely, he says, if your case is mild and you don't have other health problems like heart disease or diabetes. Some people die earlier as a result of complications like pneumonia or respiratory failure.
Don't spend time around lung irritants.
Since people with COPD have more sensitive lungs, being around any type of irritant can make the condition worse. Avoid things like secondhand smoke, air pollution, dust and fumes from chemicals, paint or cleaning products, as well as mold and mildew.
Respiratory failure is considered the major cause of death in advanced COPD.
Symptoms of COPD include: Frequent coughing or wheezing. Excess phlegm or sputum. Shortness of breath.
Link Between COPD and Neurological Problems
Low-levels of oxygen in the blood can affect the parts of our brain that manage fear, sleep, and breathing. The long-term effects of chronic COPD can lead to serious neurological problems such as dementia, sleep disorders, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and stroke.
There's currently no cure for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but treatment can help slow the progression of the condition and control the symptoms. Treatments include: stopping smoking – if you have COPD and you smoke, this is the most important thing you can do.
Especially if your COPD is diagnosed early, if you have mild stage COPD, and your disease is well managed and controlled, you may be able to live for 10 or even 20 years after diagnosis.
In patients with suspected OSA, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is also a contributing factor to excessive daytime sleepiness [4]. Overlap syndrome as coexistence of OSA and COPD occurs in about 1% of the general population. Smoking and age are risk factors for both diseases.
Smoking and air pollution are the most common causes of COPD. People with COPD are at higher risk of other health problems. COPD is not curable but symptoms can improve if one avoids smoking and exposure to air pollution and gets vaccines to prevent infections.