But You LOOK Healthy: Mental Health & CF

In this episode of It’s a Lung Story, Ahmet Uluer, MD, MPH, Lauren Harvey, and Andrea Gavin Becker dive into the complex relationship between mental health and cystic fibrosis. Anna Georgiopoulos, MD, a psychiatrist at Mass General Brigham and an expert in CF mental health, joins the team to explore how medical advancements have transformed physical health without always improving mental well-being, the emotional challenges of aging with CF, and the evolving dynamics of caregiver relationships.

Dr. Georgiopoulos shares insights from groundbreaking research, including the upcoming RETRIAL study, which examines how newer CF modulators affect mental health. We also discuss survivor’s guilt from an unexpected angle, and the reality that looking healthy doesn’t mean living without struggle.

We also talk about cheating on mental health screenings, dancing with our dogs, and the evolution of swear words in Taylor Swift's discography. Mental health is serious—but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun along the way.

RESOURCES

• CF Foundation’s Mental Health Guidelines & Screening Tools

https://thorax.bmj.com/content/71/1/26

• European CF Society Mental Health Guidelines

https://www.ecfs.eu/mental-health-in_CF

NACFC 2025 presentation by Dr. Ahmet Uluer and Dr. Karen von Berg: “A Breath of Fresh Age: Redefining Growing Older With Cystic Fibrosis”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHg8Pr0J8_o

The content presented in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.