5 mindfulness tools to support mental well-being for those living with PBC
In partnership with Gilead | Calm
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) affects more than just liver health. Explore free mindfulness tools to support emotional wellness and help you navigate days when symptoms feel overwhelming.
The realities of living with PBC aren’t always immediately obvious. From the outside, you may seem like you’re managing—balancing your career, caring for children or parents, supporting partners—but behind the scenes, symptoms like chronic itch, fatigue, and brain fog can shape every part of the day.¹˒²
When you’re usually the person that others rely on, needing support yourself can feel strange. Maybe you feel guilty when you have to cancel plans, or if you need time to rest.
It can be difficult to give yourself the same compassion that you would give to someone else. That’s totally normal. But we can help you change that and find ways to approach yourself with kindness and care.
Looking after your health is not always about doing more. Sometimes it’s about giving yourself permission to pause.
That’s why Gilead* and Calm have partnered to offer mindfulness resources for both your body and mind.
Scroll down to explore 5 Calm meditations curated by Gilead to support the mental and emotional well-being of those living with PBC and their caregivers.
How PBC can affect daily life and well-being
While everyone's experience of PBC is different, its impact on your life can be significant — and challenging.
PBC commonly affects women during midlife, often when they’re balancing careers, family responsibilities, and the duties of caring for others.¹ It can also affect men, and there’s increasing prevalence among Black and Asian-American populations in the U.S., with Black and Hispanic patients also experiencing poorer outcomes and reduced access to care.¹
Symptoms such as fatigue, itch, and brain fog can impact everything from getting through the working day to spending time with family and friends.¹˒² Sleep disruption can leave you feeling exhausted before the day has even begun, while the unpredictable and progressive nature of PBC can make it harder to maintain routines, make plans, or feel fully in control of your life.
“There were days when simply getting through daily life felt like climbing a mountain, yet those around me assumed it was just another ordinary day,” shares Carol Roberts, President of PBCers Organization and a person living with PBC.
While maintaining liver health is critical when living with PBC, it's only one part of the picture. Living well with PBC is also about supporting a healthy mind and healthy relationships, because true well-being is measured not only by lab results, but also by how life feels day to day.
How to find support beyond appointments
Much of life with PBC happens in the moments between appointments. For many people, learning to live with PBC is not about finding ways to do more. It’s about finding sustainable ways to care for yourself while balancing work, family, relationships, and other responsibilities. That might mean adjusting expectations of what you can do on any given day, accepting help when it’s offered, or recognizing when you need to pause and recharge.
The support of partners, family members, friends, and the wider PBC community can also make a meaningful difference and help make living with PBC feel less overwhelming.
Don’t forget that we’re here to give you resources and tools that offer practical coping strategies, emotional support, or moments of comfort throughout the day.
Mindfulness resources to support you in moments of overwhelm or discomfort
Coping strategies won't remove the challenges of PBC, but they can help create moments of relief throughout the day.
This could mean:
pausing to focus on breathing during an itch flare
turning to a short meditation when feelings of stress or overwhelm begin to build
listening to a Sleep Story when symptoms make it difficult to switch off at night
That’s why Gilead has curated 5 free mindfulness tools from Calm. These have been selected to support people living with PBC beyond the clinical aspects of the condition.
As everyone's experience is unique, what brings comfort to one person may not resonate with another. Explore at your own pace, utilizing only what feels right for you in each moment. Note: Some meditations may include intentional pauses.
Mindfulness tools for embracing calm when symptoms feel overwhelming
Living with PBC and its symptoms can sometimes feel relentless, making it difficult to slow down or focus on your own needs.
💙 The guided meditations below have been curated by Gilead on Calm to help you pause, reconnect with yourself, and find moments of peace.
Checking in with Yourself
When fatigue, itch, or brain fog feel overwhelming, this 5-minute session helps you connect with your body and mind, without pressure to change or fix anything.
No Pressure Pause
This 3-minute practice is designed to help you take a short break and let yourself off the hook.
Mindfulness tools for finding rest when symptoms make it hard to switch off
Fatigue and disrupted sleep are common challenges for people living with PBC, and relaxing into rest can sometimes feel out of reach.
💙 The guided meditations below have been curated by Gilead on Calm to help you unwind and create space for rest, even on difficult days.
Quieting the Mind and Body
This soothing bedtime body scan helps quiet the mind and body when symptoms make it difficult to sleep.
Tune into the Senses
This 5-minute grounding practice engages your senses to gently bring you back to the present moment, helping to ease feelings of stress, brain fog, or overwhelm.
Mindfulness tools to help you care for yourself and your relationships
Living with a chronic condition can affect not only how you feel, but also your relationships with the people around you and your ability to prioritize your own needs.
💙 The guided meditation below has been curated by Gilead on Calm to support self-compassion, connection, and emotional well-being.
Nurturing Relationships
This session explores ways to strengthen communication and maintain meaningful connections with friends, family, and loved ones.
More information on PBC
Visit All-The-Feelings-with-PBC.com for more information on living with PBC.
GILEAD is a trademark of Gilead Sciences, Inc.
All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
For U.S. audiences only.
This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please speak to a physician to address medical needs.
*Gilead is working to transform how PBC is treated. Read more on MoreThanPBC.com.
1. Trivella J, John BV, Levy C. Primary biliary cholangitis: epidemiology, prognosis and treatment. Hepatol Commun. 2023;7(6):e0179. doi:10.1097/HC9.0000000000000179
2. Newton JL, Hollingsworth KG, Taylor R, et al. Cognitive impairment in primary biliary cirrhosis: symptom impact and potential etiology. Hepatology. 2008;48(2):541-549. doi:10.1002/hep.22371
Calm your mind. Change your life.
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
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