Have you recently been diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)? Do you worry that your life will never be the same? Do you feel depressed, anxious, or resentful about your disease?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All of those feelings are perfectly normal and perfectly acceptable to feel, whether you were only recently diagnosed or if you have been living with it for decades. Either way, it is okay to feel those feelings, they will come and go throughout your life, and you are not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No matter how minor or severe your form of the disease may be, you can live a happy, full life. We can all make some simple changes in our attitudes towards life, regardless of our health or lack thereof, that can help us live a fuller, richer life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One important practice is learning to appreciate life by finding joy in simple things like a warm spring day or the smile on a child\u2019s face. At the same time, try to avoid over-focusing on the negative aspects of your health and your symptoms. Negative feelings can become overwhelming, creating a vicious cycle, especially for those of us trying to cope with an \u201cincurable disease.\u201d So next time you feel negativity, find a positive feeling to counteract it. If you feel \u201cI am in pain\u201d or \u201cI have diarrhea again,\u201d then counteract that with \u201cI am alive, and I am loved.\u201d Always look at the brightest aspects of life instead of the darkest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, don\u2019t stop living. Don\u2019t stop going out to the movies, hiking, sporting events, or whatever else you used to do before for fun. Keep doing it. IBD doesn\u2019t have to be a prison sentence, it only feels like that if we allow it. The choice is ours to make. Instead, if you always liked to travel, keep doing it. If you are having a flare-up you may need to plan your stops accordingly so you have plenty of opportunities to use the restroom and pack your food with you that is safe for you to eat so you don\u2019t have to rely on so many restaurants. Regardless of your symptoms, you can still get out to live your life; you don\u2019t have to stay home just because you have a flare-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could even argue that those with IBD know how to enjoy life to the fullest. We know what it’s like not to have our health, and therefore, we are better positioned to appreciate our health so much more when we regain it compared to those who have never had to live without it. How can you truly enjoy the good side of life if you have never dealt with hardship? Living with a disease like IBD is an opportunity to learn that deep appreciation for life that many people don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So get out, live your life, and enjoy it to the fullest, no matter what stage of your illness you are at!<\/p>\n\n\n\n