Mental Health Week: Let’s Come Together

May 4-10 is Mental Health Week in Canada, and the theme is “Come Together, Canada.” PHA Canada Knowledge Philanthropist Lisa Harder talks about the meaning of connection.

This year’s theme for Mental Health Week is all about the importance of connectedness in our overall well-being.  Both social connections and connection with ourselves helps to foster resilience and to reduce the sense of isolation we may feel (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2026). While we can recognize the importance of this, there are often additional barriers we face when living with a rare, chronic, complex illness.  First and foremost, the impact of pulmonary hypertension on our day to day can limit our ability to engage in social activities.  We may not be able to walk long distances without oxygen, go out to a restaurant because of dietary restrictions, or may just be too tired from engaging in daily self-care or numerous medical appointments.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what pulmonary hypertension is and isn’t. For many of us, there may be no outwards signs of disease we display.  Subsequently people may not fully grasp or understand the gravity of what we experience day to day.  This isn’t just prevalent within the greater community though. The medical community as a whole is poorly informed about pulmonary hypertension as well. As patients, we are then placed in a space of having to educate medical professionals and others around us, taking more out of our already limited energy. We may be also given false information by medical providers not specialized in pulmonary hypertension. For example, before I was formally diagnosed by my specialist, I was told by another provider that my disease was so severe that I basically should start preparing for my limited time left. Of course, things like this can have a negative impact on our mental health.

Our caregivers may also experience a loss of connectedness. They may be grieving the loss of the life they envisioned with their partner while simultaneously trying to support them day to day. They may not feel comfortable with engaging in things they once enjoyed on their own or feel guilty about taking time to have some recharge time. They may not even know what they enjoy doing anymore since the tornado that is pulmonary hypertension came in and created chaos. Along with all of this comes burnout.

So how we can feel connected? First, know that despite all the intricacies that come along with this disease, there is an amazing support network available. PHA Canada has some amazing programs for peer support, caregiver support, mental health support, and online and in-person meetups to connect with others with pulmonary hypertension.  There are also some new resources on the website for tips on how we might manage mental health impacts related to pulmonary hypertension (e.g. anxiety, trauma) with further resources to come for both patients and caregivers.

In terms of more informal support, we might consider how we can connect within our new limitations. Maybe it is setting up a biweekly Zoom call or an in-person meet up with a friend.  Maybe there is a low impact group fitness class you can attend on a regular or drop-in basis. This will look different for each of us; however, it is important to be honest with ourselves about what is reasonable.  We want to consider our limitations in a non-judgemental way, since judgement impacts our well-being negatively, and how we can pivot in our new normal.

If you are unsure on how to connect or where to get started, please reach out to PHA Canada and they will be happy to guide you in the right direction or point you towards some resources. Know that you are not alone.