It’s no surprise IBD impacts so much more than just our guts. Not only is there the gut and brain connection, but also the complex nature of our chronic illness(es) that can cause serious anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. The isolating nature of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the unknowingness of what the next day holds, and the never-ending laundry list of procedures, labs, scans, and surgeries, year after year is a lot for any person to go through.
Even though I’ve lived with Crohn’s disease for more than 18 years, and have seen three different gastroenterologists in that time, not once has my mental health been brought up during a clinic appointment. When treating a person for IBD, the health of the whole person needs to be considered. I ran a poll on Instagram asking the IBD community if they’ve ever been to therapy. Out of 185 respondents, 70% seek therapy, 18% have not, and 12% are considering it.
I did an article in September 2020 about why a specific public bathroom at a grocery store I used to shop at triggers me and shared tactics for coping. You can read the article that featured Dr. Tiffany Taft here.
This week on Lights, Camera, Crohn’s we hear from those in our community about the advice that’s resonated with them the most since receiving their IBD diagnosis.
The words that have made a lasting impact
Olivia: “3% effort is still effort. You’re not going to be able to give 100% every day and that’s OK. Your best can look different from day to day.”
Julie: “It’s not your fault, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Kristen: “You can’t drive forward if you’re always looking in the rearview mirror.”
Sarah: “Medical trauma is trauma and to give myself credit for all I have overcome.”
Cindy: “Remove all IBD related stressors from the bedroom to avoid impacting sleep. In our case, this meant no Humira injections for my daughter while sitting on the bed or nearby it.”
Tina: “Imitation is the best form of flattery.”
Lauren: “Don’t Google things you’re worried about, like symptoms.”
Jennifer: “Stay in the present.”
Heather: “Sometimes you just need to take a nap!”
Myisha: “If it’s not going to matter in five years, don’t give it five minutes of your energy.”
Kate: “It’s not your fault.”
Susan: “I’ve never seen a therapist, but I always tell myself it could always be worse.”
Stacey said: “You can’t control how seriously people take Covid. You can only control how you protect your physical and mental health. You have to put your health first. And, if people don’t agree with your choices, then that’s their problem. You can’t risk your health just to make it easy for others or to placate them. You come first in your life.”
Robin: “The “things” I do—my work advocating for others, supporting others, helping others face challenges with their diseases—I deserve that, too. Not from other people, but from myself. The beauty in therapy is that you’re receiving a non-biased/outsider opinion. This person that has no side and will sometimes say something you’ve heard 1,000 times in a way you’ve never heard before or even in a better way that allows you to really listen to what’s being said. To absorb it. Even to say it multiple times with no judgement if that’s what’s needed. Also, EMDR, which is a whole other thing and only part of the therapy experience.”
What is EMDR therapy?
Several people said EMDR therapy was their favorite and has been lifechanging. So, what exactly is it? Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new, non-traditional type of psychotherapy that’s popular for treating post-traumatic stress disorder. EMDR focuses on the natural tendencies our brains have for healing from traumatic memories. There are mental blocks (such as feelings of self-esteem issues and powerlessness) that can prevent us from healing. During EMDR, you are allowed to process the bad memories and experiences to start healing yourself. This helps our brains process challenging thoughts and feelings in a healthier way. Chances are through your patient journey you’ve endured several vivid and significantly painful moments that you haven’t been able to process and heal from.
Supportive Resources about managing mental health and IBD
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation
Searching for links between IBD and mental health, through the gut microbiome
The link between mental health disorders and ulcerative colitis
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