People living with COPD face many challenges and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, powerless, or alone. A COPD support group can help.

Finding an experienced physician to treat you or a loved one for lung disease is an important step. But however well trained, few doctors are likely to know what it really feels like to try to get through the day with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or lung cancer. The experts who can give that kind of advice are fellow COPD patients and their families. Support groups, both in person and online, are good sources for information about anything from how to find a caring physician to tips for traveling with supplemental oxygen.

People with COPD often say that one of the worst aspects of their illness is the feeling that they have lost control over their health. Having COPD can cause depression or anxiety, and it’s easy to withdraw from other people. By staying at home, COPD patients become more sedentary, which increases psychological distress. By joining a support group, participants gain a sense of control over their disease and enter a virtuous cycle: They get out of the house, meet other people, and become motivated to take action. Then they start to feel better -- psychologically and physically.

COPD support groups exist in many communities. The American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org) sponsors Better Breathers Clubs throughout the country, which may include adults with asthma. Also, many hospitals start support groups for people with chronic lung disease.

Often these groups are run by a respiratory therapist, who can educate group members and their families about ways to live well with COPD. Groups may invite medical professionals to share their expertise on topics including nutrition, exercise, breathing techniques, new treatments, stress and depression, and medical equipment. The education patients receive in these groups may help them to avoid preventable hospitalizations and emergency room visits.