Questions Answered By Expert
Eva Szigethy, MD, PhD
Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine & Pediatrics
Director, Behavioral Health with the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer
Founder, Visceral Inflammation & Pain (VIP) Center
A: Life stress, especially the loss of a relationship, has been linked with worsening gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBD. This is thought to be due to the strong connection between the gut and brain, especially the areas of the brain that regulate our emotions. Though I’m sorry to hear about your recent break-up, there are several things you can do to decrease stress and help yourself feel better during this challenging time. First, it is very important to get back to activities that are enjoyable for you, even if it is difficult to force yourself to do them. When we relax or find pleasant diversions, it gives our brains a rest from processing the stress. Taking 10 minutes a day to focus on relaxation can be effective in decreasing stress. One breathing exercise involves deep slow breathing…counting to 4 while breathing in through your mouth, holding it for 4 counts, and letting the breath out through your mouth over 8 counts for 10 breath cycles can decrease stress. Second, finding the company of trusted friends is especially important when dealing with stress, as positive social interactions have been shown to decrease the stress response that affects the gut. Finally, if stress is chronic or extreme, it can through a switch in the brain causing an emotional reaction to become a more clinically significant depression or anxiety disorder which can benefit from the services of a professional therapist or counselor. Letting your gastroenterologist know about your life stress is a good place to begin. hide answer
A: The first place to start is to give yourself permission to have a reaction and to know that it is normal to have a range of responses when diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, something unexpected and life-altering. It is natural to go through some type of grieving process about the loss of health, similar to how people react to the loss of a loved one. The responses involved vary among individuals. Some people get sad, others get angry but there is no right or wrong way to grieve. What is important is that you recognize your feelings and remind yourself about other difficult challenges you have adjusted to in the past. Although the passage of time is the best healer, there are active steps that have helped others with Crohn’s disease accept their diagnosis. Talking about it with others is a good first step whether it is good friends or family or through a CCFA support group or activity. Some patients find it helpful to journal about their experiences as a way to work through the emotions. Others find it useful to focus on other aspects of their lives that they can control. For example, thinking about three positive things in your life or three small tasks or steps you will achieve that day. Finally, others have found that “finding the silver lining” about a situation (i.e., something positive or something that could be even worse by comparison) helps them feel better. In fact, many studies show that optimistic thinking can positively influence how well your body copes with the disease and how well your immune system responds to the medications or your gastrointestinal tract heals from surgery. hide answer