The mental health advocacy pack
This mental health advocacy pack summarises the Mental Health Statement and turns it into practical actions for individuals, patient organisations and healthcare professionals.
Introduction
“Lung diseases do not just affect the body — they touch every part of a person’s life. The physical symptoms are only one part of the story. That’s why mental health support isn’t optional — it’s essential.”
Mental health is an essential part of living with a lung condition, yet it is too often overlooked in care and support. People with long-term lung conditions are significantly more likely to experience anxiety, depression and emotional distress, but mental health support is rarely integrated into care.
The Mental Health Statement is a position statement developed by the ELF Mental Health Working Group, European Respiratory Society (ELF) and European Lung Foundation (ELF), based on evidence, lived experience and expert input from across Europe. It sets out the urgent need for change and defines priority areas for coordinated action across policy, clinical practice and communities.
This advocacy pack translates those priorities into practical steps for individuals, patient organisations and healthcare professionals. It is designed to support action that strengthens mental health support for people with lung conditions.
The Mental Health Working Group calls for action to:
Integrate mental health into respiratory care
Support patients and caregivers
Measure progress on mental health outcomes
Invest in research and data
Empower patient organisations
Tackle stigma and raise awareness
Influence policy to ensure equitable access to support
Take action
Everyone has a role to play in improving mental health support for people with lung conditions. The actions below are tailored for individuals, patient organisations, and healthcare professionals, recognising the different ways each group can make a difference.
Take action as an individual
If you are living with a lung condition or supporting someone who is, your voice and experiences matter. You can:
- Share your experience: talking about the mental health impact of living with a lung condition can help reduce stigma and help others feel less alone. This could be through conversations, social media, blogs or patient groups.
- Talk to your healthcare professional: Mental health is part of your overall health. If you are feeling anxious, low or overwhelmed, raise this during appointments and ask about available support.
- Seek support: Connect with patient organisations, peer support groups or community services that provide emotional and practical support.
- Support awareness efforts: Share key messages, campaigns or resources to help raise awareness of the link between lung health and mental health.
- Encourage open conversations: Talking openly with family, friends and caregivers can help build understanding and support.
Take action as a patient organisation
Patient organisations play an important role in supporting people with lung conditions and advocating for change. You can:
- Use the statement in your advocacy work: Integrate its messages and calls to action into your national or local advocacy activities.
- Engage with policymakers: Advocate for integrated mental health and respiratory care, improved access to services, and better support for patients and caregivers.
- Raise awareness: Run campaigns, events or communications activities to highlight the mental health impact of lung conditions.
- Provide or strengthen support services: Offer peer support groups, helplines, educational resources or signposting to mental health services.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals: Work together to ensure patient perspectives are included in care pathways and service design.
- Build partnerships: Connect with other organisations working in mental health to strengthen impact and share expertise.
- Show your support: Add your organisation’s name in support of the Mental Health Statement and its calls to action.
Take action as a healthcare professional
Healthcare professionals are key to recognising and addressing the mental health needs of people with lung conditions. You can:
- Start the conversation: Ask patients about their mental and emotional wellbeing as part of routine care.
- Recognise signs of distress: Be aware of symptoms of anxiety, depression and emotional strain, and how they may affect disease management.
- Provide or signpost support: Refer patients to appropriate mental health services, support groups or community resources where available.
- Integrate mental health into care pathways: Advocate for and contribute to more holistic models of care that include psychological support.
- Work collaboratively: Engage with multidisciplinary teams, including mental health specialists and patient organisations.
- Build your knowledge and confidence: Seek training and resources to better support patients’ mental health needs.
Support the statement
Supporting the statement helps strengthen a collective voice calling for improved mental health support across Europe. The Mental Health Statement calls for urgent and coordinated action to improve mental health support for people with lung conditions. You can support this by:
- Sharing the statement within your networks
- Using its messages in your work and communications
- Encouraging your organisation or institution to formally support its calls to action
- Raising awareness of the need for integrated care and improved services
Add your organisation's support
Add your organisation’s name in support of the Mental Health Statement and its calls to action.
