Teens, UC, with depression and anxiety.

As a former teen (now 33) who experienced a lot of social anxiety and severe depression, I kept it all to myself between the ages of 12 and 18. The only reason I even brought it up then was because I realized I needed some medical assistance, and I had no clue how to use my insurance. He's probably not telling you the complete truth because being an awkward teen is already hard enough without the anxiety and UC and sheesh, why do parents have to be so nosey?!

Anyway, I still experience some anxiety now and again, and it usually causes my stomach to become upset, which then sends me to the bathroom. This, I doubt he is lying about. I don't know why he suddenly is feeling this way on weekends, but it is possible that the anxiety during the week is now seeping into the weekend, and he doesn't realize it, or is in denial, or just doesn't want to make you worry.

Obviously, there's also the UC to think about and whether there are any other symptoms that suggest it is the culprit.

How are you treating his anxiety and depression, by the way? Why is school a source of anxiety for him?

Thanks for sharing. Suchatravesty, you're probably right about him not telling me what's going on. I didnt realize until this school year that he doesnt seem to clue me into personal issues and feelings.
For his depression / anxiety, he is seeing a psychologist weekly for now, and taking 40mg of fluoxetine. I havent quite nailed down the reason for school anxiety. He typically only goes to the bathroom twice a day and luckily doesnt usually have too bad of urgency, so that's not it. He's a really smart kid, I just think he doesn't like to take care of responsibilities. But at the same time, I dont know how much his mind might be affecting his decisions and ability to focus. And actually he is completely fine on the weekends. It's really kind of amazing. I try not to question what he's going through, but as you mentioned Mak, it's also very hard to understand what he's going through with everything. Most weeks there is at least one day that he either doesnt make it through the whole school day or just stays home.

Anxiety/depression is comorbid to UC. In other words, you say that his anxiety is causing his UC to flare, but it may be the other way around. One of my first indicators that I am at the very, very beginning of a flare, before any major bowel symptoms, is that I start feeling depressed and anxious for seemingly no reason. Situations that are normally a 2/10 on the anxiety scale suddenly become 8 or 9/10. It's the chicken and the egg. Rather than looking at mood and the gut as separate things, they are identical. Maybe if his bowels were in better shape, he'd be less reactive to situations; or maybe if his school situation were better, his IBD would calm down.

The other thing is that people with UC can also have IBS. The IBS is triggered by emotional states which then feeds the UC. Both IBS and IBD involve bowel irritability but IBD is the one with genuine inflammation.

If you notice him getting better on weekends, then school is obviously a problem. Is it a temporary thing? We all go through difficulties in life that eventually pass. Maybe it's a temporary situation at school that will pass and he just wants privacy, which is OK. My concern is that if there's a long-term situation, then it could snowball and his UC could get a lot worse.

I've been reading a lot about New German Medicine lately and they believe that the colon stores anger, resentment, and regret. The question I have to ask is... outside of school, is he doing anything that he loves or inspires him? Is he into arts, sports, computers, nature, something else? It's one thing to feel relief from not being at school, but it's another to be actually pursuing happiness outside of school.

UC has many reasons for starting but I feel one "type" is a person who is stuck in the past or never has new inspiration their lives. So they just sit there, collecting and ruminating, but never letting go. I hated high school and I was treated medically for anxiety and depression. What eventually made the problems of school seem less important is that I got involved in dance (ballet and jazz) outside of it. I loved my dance community so I knew I didn't have to rely on school anymore to build all my esteem.

Hmm that is a little weird how he seems to be fine on weekends. And I know how hard it must be to try and figure it out because I kept everything to myself when I was his age. But I agree with suchatravesty about maybe talking to his teachers without his knowledge. It is good that you set him up with a psychologist though just in case his anxieties and depression is from something totally different.

I agree with Connor. Anxiety is part of the whole UC picture. Many of the chemicals that regulate our mood are found in the gut. Our brains and guts communicate with each other all the time. For me, anxiety was the first symptom of my UC, although I did not know it at the time.

If I could make a suggestion, it would be to stop looking for simple answers to what is "making him anxious" or how his anxiety is causing his UC symptoms. An overall strategy for dealing with his feelings of anxiety and depression when they occur might be more helpful. People can be anxious or depressed for no reason at all.