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Role of stress during a flare

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/5/2016 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
We know stress impacts a flare, but to what extent? Is it more apt to start a flare?

Right now I'm finishing my first year of my doctoral degree and I have two huge assignments. I am trying hard to get slee, take my medicine (unfortunately I forgot this am) and eat right. I just wonder if there is anything else I could be doing to prevent the stress of this impacting my current flare???
Posted 5/6/2016 7:28 AM (GMT 0)
In my experience stress plays a big factor in whether I flare or not - my two major flares were at times when I was significantly stressed out. I recently just took two weeks off from work and London life to go back to my parents house and try to achieve remission and destress. I'd say find time in your busy schedule to look after yourself - I take an hour before bed every day to do something relaxing like read a book, listen to a podcast, play video games, and try to take my mind off of anything that's stressing me out. It really helps. Also if you can find time to exercise, the release of endorphins helps my general mood and makes me feel more capable of handling any stress I might have at work or home.
Posted 5/6/2016 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
I don't believe stress causes flares, but stress can be one of the many contributing factors that collectively lead up to a flare. Make sure you keep taking your medications, eat healthy, and be cognizant of flare signs. Stress is a normal part of life and at times it can be overwhelming, but many of us encounter extreme stress and don't flare. I would bet our skipping meds and eating poorly is more the cause of a flare than the stress itself actually is. Although, prolonged stress likely results in chemical and hormonal changes within our bodies and that could have consequences. So take the time to unwind, relax, and have some fun to counter it for both your mental and physical health :-)
Posted 5/7/2016 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Stress can put up one's WBC.
Posted 5/7/2016 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
Stress is unavoidable and it affects people differently, best way to descirbe how it affects one's health (gut issues or not, cuz stress can contribute to cancers and other illness besides gut issues) it's how you cope with stress that can make all the difference in how it will affect you physically, if you feel good emotionally chances are you'll feel better (at least to some degree) physically and vise versa.

Bottom line, it's how you cope with your stressors that makes the biggest difference...and I know for a fact that stress can trigger flares for any and all kinds of diseases including gut issues....we decide to what extent it will impact us and our physical self based on how we cope, or lack of.
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