The worsening of a disease/condition over time
A formal documentation when someone else is given the responsibility to manage your affairs and make certain decisions on your behalf
Refers to the lungs
A group of tests used to check how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they supply oxygen to the rest of the body14
A type of high blood pressure that affects the blood vessels to the lungs and the right side of the heart15
Therapy that provides relief from symptoms to help patients live more comfortably with their disease13
Administration of oxygen as a medical intervention11
A small plastic tube or prongs that fit in the nostrils to deliver supplementary oxygen11
Listening to and playing music as a therapy which aims to ease the symptoms of those living with IPF
A sleep disorder characterised by breathing that repeatedly stops and starts during sleep12
A specialist who helps someone recover or live with their symptoms more easily
A machine that removes other gases from the air to provide oxygen for oxygen therapy11
An education and exercise program designed to improve the quality of life for people with lung conditions16
A physician specialised in lung problems (also known as a respirologist)
A product that gives protection against a specific infection
A test used to monitor oxygen levels in a patient’s blood, usually with a non-invasive sensor11
A breathing technique to help control breathlessness and reduce anxiety17
A disease that affects only a small percentage of the population
Something that is associated with an increased risk of disease or infection
A technique that helps to reduce stress and anxiety by helping to understand and manage your emotions
Therapies used alongside conventional treatments that help treat symptoms and may improve overall physical and mental wellbeing
A medical study that investigates how safe and effective a new therapy or technique is for treating a certain disease
A disease or condition that occurs at the same time as another disease or condition
A device to deliver compressed air to improve sleep in people with obstructive sleep apnoea6
A disease where a waxy substance (plaque) builds up inside the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle7
A type of chronic disease that typically worsens over time and is characterized by long-term breathing problems and poor airflow. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are older terms used for COPD5
Refers to the heart, and blood vessels
A type of medication that aims to slow the scarring and stiffening of lungs to slow disease progression2
Tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the blood takes place
A test that shows how well the lungs are working by measuring how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is in the blood. This test requires that a small volume of blood be drawn from the patient3
Techniques that involve breathing in a certain way to control breathlessness and strengthen your lungs
A procedure in which a bronchoscope (a medical instrument like a tube) is passed through the mouth or nose into the lung and fluid is squirted into a small part of the lung and then collected for examination4
A lung condition where the air sacs within the lungs (alveoli) become damaged5
Extreme weariness resulting from exertion or illness
Of unknown cause
Rapid and uncontrolled breathing
A disease where there is progressive scarring or thickening of the lungs without a known cause4
The surgical removal of cells or tissue samples from the lung for examination by a pathologist10
The lung tissue becomes thickened and stiff
A test that uses a type of X-ray that produces multiple, detailed images of areas inside the body4
A burning sensation in the chest, which can spread to the throat, along with a sour taste in the mouth
Where inflamed tissue is replaced with scar tissue, making it thicken and become stiffer4
A symptom where the ends of the fingers become wider and rounder8
A digestive disease where stomach acid moves up out of the stomach and irritates the lining of the food pipe (oesophagus)9
A physician specializing in the management of diseases of the digestive system
An event characterized by sudden, severe worsening of symptoms or an increase in disease severity1
Expressing your feelings is good for you but might not come naturally to everyone. As with all skills, it can be strengthened through practise. Find out how you can get started.
We can express our emotions in many different ways: painting, listening to music or making crafts.
Some people find that writing a daily diary helps reduce their anxiety. Expressive writing can put some structure to your anxious feelings.1 What you choose to write about should be important to you.
Writing about stressful experiences has been shown to help people with rheumatoid arthritis or asthma to manage their symptoms.1 So writing about your own stressful situations with pulmonary fibrosis might also help you feel better.
The biggest benefits seem to be in people who focus on the cause and meaning of stressful events when writing in their diary.2
Try including these phrases:
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An operation to replace a patient’s diseased lungs with lungs from a donorView in glossaryView in glossaryThe worsening of a disease/condition over time
View in glossaryA formal documentation when someone else is given the responsibility to manage your affairs and make certain decisions on your behalf
View in glossaryRefers to the lungs
View in glossaryA group of tests used to check how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they supply oxygen to the rest of the body14
View in glossaryA type of high blood pressure that affects the blood vessels to the lungs and the right side of the heart15
View in glossaryTherapy that provides relief from symptoms to help patients live more comfortably with their disease13
View in glossaryAdministration of oxygen as a medical intervention11
View in glossaryA small plastic tube or prongs that fit in the nostrils to deliver supplementary oxygen11
View in glossaryListening to and playing music as a therapy which aims to ease the symptoms of those living with IPF
View in glossaryA sleep disorder characterised by breathing that repeatedly stops and starts during sleep12
View in glossaryA specialist who helps someone recover or live with their symptoms more easily
View in glossaryA machine that removes other gases from the air to provide oxygen for oxygen therapy11
View in glossaryAn education and exercise program designed to improve the quality of life for people with lung conditions16
View in glossaryA physician specialised in lung problems (also known as a respirologist)
View in glossaryA product that gives protection against a specific infection
View in glossaryA test used to monitor oxygen levels in a patient’s blood, usually with a non-invasive sensor11
View in glossaryA breathing technique to help control breathlessness and reduce anxiety17
View in glossaryA disease that affects only a small percentage of the population
View in glossarySomething that is associated with an increased risk of disease or infection
View in glossaryA technique that helps to reduce stress and anxiety by helping to understand and manage your emotions
View in glossaryTherapies used alongside conventional treatments that help treat symptoms and may improve overall physical and mental wellbeing
View in glossaryA medical study that investigates how safe and effective a new therapy or technique is for treating a certain disease
View in glossaryA disease or condition that occurs at the same time as another disease or condition
View in glossaryA device to deliver compressed air to improve sleep in people with obstructive sleep apnoea6
View in glossaryA disease where a waxy substance (plaque) builds up inside the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle7
View in glossaryA type of chronic disease that typically worsens over time and is characterized by long-term breathing problems and poor airflow. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are older terms used for COPD5
View in glossaryRefers to the heart, and blood vessels
View in glossaryA type of medication that aims to slow the scarring and stiffening of lungs to slow disease progression2
View in glossaryTiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the blood takes place
View in glossaryA test that shows how well the lungs are working by measuring how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is in the blood. This test requires that a small volume of blood be drawn from the patient3
View in glossaryTechniques that involve breathing in a certain way to control breathlessness and strengthen your lungs
View in glossaryA procedure in which a bronchoscope (a medical instrument like a tube) is passed through the mouth or nose into the lung and fluid is squirted into a small part of the lung and then collected for examination4
View in glossaryA lung condition where the air sacs within the lungs (alveoli) become damaged5
View in glossaryExtreme weariness resulting from exertion or illness
View in glossaryOf unknown cause
View in glossaryRapid and uncontrolled breathing
View in glossaryA disease where there is progressive scarring or thickening of the lungs without a known cause4
View in glossaryThe surgical removal of cells or tissue samples from the lung for examination by a pathologist10
View in glossaryThe lung tissue becomes thickened and stiff
View in glossaryA test that uses a type of X-ray that produces multiple, detailed images of areas inside the body4
View in glossaryA burning sensation in the chest, which can spread to the throat, along with a sour taste in the mouth
View in glossaryWhere inflamed tissue is replaced with scar tissue, making it thicken and become stiffer4
View in glossaryA symptom where the ends of the fingers become wider and rounder8
View in glossaryA digestive disease where stomach acid moves up out of the stomach and irritates the lining of the food pipe (oesophagus)9
View in glossaryA physician specializing in the management of diseases of the digestive system
View in glossaryAn event characterized by sudden, severe worsening of symptoms or an increase in disease severity1
"I feel like this because…/This happened because…"
-
An operation to replace a patient’s diseased lungs with lungs from a donorView in glossaryView in glossaryThe worsening of a disease/condition over time
View in glossaryA formal documentation when someone else is given the responsibility to manage your affairs and make certain decisions on your behalf
View in glossaryRefers to the lungs
View in glossaryA group of tests used to check how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they supply oxygen to the rest of the body14
View in glossaryA type of high blood pressure that affects the blood vessels to the lungs and the right side of the heart15
View in glossaryTherapy that provides relief from symptoms to help patients live more comfortably with their disease13
View in glossaryAdministration of oxygen as a medical intervention11
View in glossaryA small plastic tube or prongs that fit in the nostrils to deliver supplementary oxygen11
View in glossaryListening to and playing music as a therapy which aims to ease the symptoms of those living with IPF
View in glossaryA sleep disorder characterised by breathing that repeatedly stops and starts during sleep12
View in glossaryA specialist who helps someone recover or live with their symptoms more easily
View in glossaryA machine that removes other gases from the air to provide oxygen for oxygen therapy11
View in glossaryAn education and exercise program designed to improve the quality of life for people with lung conditions16
View in glossaryA physician specialised in lung problems (also known as a respirologist)
View in glossaryA product that gives protection against a specific infection
View in glossaryA test used to monitor oxygen levels in a patient’s blood, usually with a non-invasive sensor11
View in glossaryA breathing technique to help control breathlessness and reduce anxiety17
View in glossaryA disease that affects only a small percentage of the population
View in glossarySomething that is associated with an increased risk of disease or infection
View in glossaryA technique that helps to reduce stress and anxiety by helping to understand and manage your emotions
View in glossaryTherapies used alongside conventional treatments that help treat symptoms and may improve overall physical and mental wellbeing
View in glossaryA medical study that investigates how safe and effective a new therapy or technique is for treating a certain disease
View in glossaryA disease or condition that occurs at the same time as another disease or condition
View in glossaryA device to deliver compressed air to improve sleep in people with obstructive sleep apnoea6
View in glossaryA disease where a waxy substance (plaque) builds up inside the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle7
View in glossaryA type of chronic disease that typically worsens over time and is characterized by long-term breathing problems and poor airflow. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are older terms used for COPD5
View in glossaryRefers to the heart, and blood vessels
View in glossaryA type of medication that aims to slow the scarring and stiffening of lungs to slow disease progression2
View in glossaryTiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the blood takes place
View in glossaryA test that shows how well the lungs are working by measuring how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is in the blood. This test requires that a small volume of blood be drawn from the patient3
View in glossaryTechniques that involve breathing in a certain way to control breathlessness and strengthen your lungs
View in glossaryA procedure in which a bronchoscope (a medical instrument like a tube) is passed through the mouth or nose into the lung and fluid is squirted into a small part of the lung and then collected for examination4
View in glossaryA lung condition where the air sacs within the lungs (alveoli) become damaged5
View in glossaryExtreme weariness resulting from exertion or illness
View in glossaryOf unknown cause
View in glossaryRapid and uncontrolled breathing
View in glossaryA disease where there is progressive scarring or thickening of the lungs without a known cause4
View in glossaryThe surgical removal of cells or tissue samples from the lung for examination by a pathologist10
View in glossaryThe lung tissue becomes thickened and stiff
View in glossaryA test that uses a type of X-ray that produces multiple, detailed images of areas inside the body4
View in glossaryA burning sensation in the chest, which can spread to the throat, along with a sour taste in the mouth
View in glossaryWhere inflamed tissue is replaced with scar tissue, making it thicken and become stiffer4
View in glossaryA symptom where the ends of the fingers become wider and rounder8
View in glossaryA digestive disease where stomach acid moves up out of the stomach and irritates the lining of the food pipe (oesophagus)9
View in glossaryA physician specializing in the management of diseases of the digestive system
View in glossaryAn event characterized by sudden, severe worsening of symptoms or an increase in disease severity1
"I realise now that…/This has made me understand that…"
The worsening of a disease/condition over time
A formal documentation when someone else is given the responsibility to manage your affairs and make certain decisions on your behalf
Refers to the lungs
A group of tests used to check how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they supply oxygen to the rest of the body14
A type of high blood pressure that affects the blood vessels to the lungs and the right side of the heart15
Therapy that provides relief from symptoms to help patients live more comfortably with their disease13
Administration of oxygen as a medical intervention11
A small plastic tube or prongs that fit in the nostrils to deliver supplementary oxygen11
Listening to and playing music as a therapy which aims to ease the symptoms of those living with IPF
A sleep disorder characterised by breathing that repeatedly stops and starts during sleep12
A specialist who helps someone recover or live with their symptoms more easily
A machine that removes other gases from the air to provide oxygen for oxygen therapy11
An education and exercise program designed to improve the quality of life for people with lung conditions16
A physician specialised in lung problems (also known as a respirologist)
A product that gives protection against a specific infection
A test used to monitor oxygen levels in a patient’s blood, usually with a non-invasive sensor11
A breathing technique to help control breathlessness and reduce anxiety17
A disease that affects only a small percentage of the population
Something that is associated with an increased risk of disease or infection
A technique that helps to reduce stress and anxiety by helping to understand and manage your emotions
Therapies used alongside conventional treatments that help treat symptoms and may improve overall physical and mental wellbeing
A medical study that investigates how safe and effective a new therapy or technique is for treating a certain disease
A disease or condition that occurs at the same time as another disease or condition
A device to deliver compressed air to improve sleep in people with obstructive sleep apnoea6
A disease where a waxy substance (plaque) builds up inside the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle7
A type of chronic disease that typically worsens over time and is characterized by long-term breathing problems and poor airflow. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are older terms used for COPD5
Refers to the heart, and blood vessels
A type of medication that aims to slow the scarring and stiffening of lungs to slow disease progression2
Tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the blood takes place
A test that shows how well the lungs are working by measuring how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is in the blood. This test requires that a small volume of blood be drawn from the patient3
Techniques that involve breathing in a certain way to control breathlessness and strengthen your lungs
A procedure in which a bronchoscope (a medical instrument like a tube) is passed through the mouth or nose into the lung and fluid is squirted into a small part of the lung and then collected for examination4
A lung condition where the air sacs within the lungs (alveoli) become damaged5
Extreme weariness resulting from exertion or illness
Of unknown cause
Rapid and uncontrolled breathing
A disease where there is progressive scarring or thickening of the lungs without a known cause4
The surgical removal of cells or tissue samples from the lung for examination by a pathologist10
The lung tissue becomes thickened and stiff
A test that uses a type of X-ray that produces multiple, detailed images of areas inside the body4
A burning sensation in the chest, which can spread to the throat, along with a sour taste in the mouth
Where inflamed tissue is replaced with scar tissue, making it thicken and become stiffer4
A symptom where the ends of the fingers become wider and rounder8
A digestive disease where stomach acid moves up out of the stomach and irritates the lining of the food pipe (oesophagus)9
A physician specializing in the management of diseases of the digestive system
An event characterized by sudden, severe worsening of symptoms or an increase in disease severity1
You might feel a bit emotional at first after turning your thoughts into written text, but this feeling should fade shortly afterwards. If writing down your thoughts triggers an extremely emotional response and you find yourself getting very upset, don’t push yourself to complete a diary entry. Do consider mentioning this to your doctor in your next appointment, so that they can provide alternative solutions to managing your emotional health and wellbeing.
Show references
Hide references
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1.
Smyth J, et al. Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis. JAMA 1999;281(14):1304-09.
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2.
Petrie K, et al. The immunological effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1998;75(5):1264-72.
