Psychological Effects of UC / Flare

Hey All,

Just curious what folks go through mentally with UC/flare. To jump right in, I failed Humira last year, now I'm on Inflectra and have been since last September (with success!) but just this last week, I'm seeing streaks of blood and mucous in my stool, more and more every day. And it's not stopping. I know the signs very well and I know a flare is coming. I spoke w/my doc, I'm getting blood tests, etc. we have a plan but that's almost not the issue.

The first time I saw the blood, my heart sank. I've been doing so well for so long. And now each day, as the flare starts up and I see the signs get worse and worse, I have trouble facing the day. It's not too bad now but all I can see is how within the next month, I'm going to start to say no to hikes and museums with my friends, reconsider eating out and going to movies, and just overall struggle with everyday activities. Basically, when a flare starts, I get depressed. I don't want to go through what I always have to go through. And while I know I've been in worse places than I am now, it still sucks. And it's sometimes hard to think positively.

Anyways, it's not all terrible. My life is good in many other ways. Just seeing if anyone else feels similarly when a flare starts or just generally speaking with UC, and if they have things they say to themselves or techniques that help them gain some perspective.

Thanks

I have just come out of a 3 year flare (i hope).... it was really hard and i missed out on many things, but i am still alive at the end of it. I saw a therapist in the darkest periods to help me manage the anxiety and self- blame and also all the stupid unhelpful things that friends and family said that made me so frustrated. Anyway one of the best things i took away from my therapist is that i don't need to think positive, i can just allow myself to feel what i need to feel. She advised me to read a book, The Happiness Trap, which explains that in more detail.

Also for myself i found a book called Smile or Die by Barbara someone, She is a breast cancer survivor who was fed up of the just think positive mafia when she was sick....her book was hilarious, for a refreshing perspective on "positive thinking", for anyone who has felt "is it just me or something isn't quite right with this attitude?"

Hello, it is a daily struggle for me. Always having to plan ahead. Anxiety and fear make things worse. I started listening to audiobooks to take my mind off things, espefially if I have to walk somewhere. I never have enough time to read so it is a bonus. Obviously, it is impossible when you are with friends. Positive thinking is not for everybody, not for me either, but I think not overthinking sometimes helps.

I'm generally an optimist, and I try to stay positive whenever I can. In flares though, I am a big ball of negative energy and very pessimistic. Makes me almost feel bi-polar <_<. It comes down to how you feel, healthy=great and sick=awful. Hard to be positive when you feel awful.

As far as coping goes, you try and find healthy distractions (as no sane person can worry about his/her health 365/24/7 and expect to remain sane) anything you enjoy and look forward to doing (hobbies, binge watch/read a good series, etc etc), you vent when needed to release. Find things that relax you, mindfullness, yoga, jog or light exercise and do them regularly.

There's no easy button to it all, we all have times we struggle with anxieties and worries. Best you can do is look at your feet, be in the here and now. Don't let your mind runaway with hundreds of possible nightmare scenarios that could happen. The future is uncertain with all of us, and we cannot control it. Focus on what you can control, and do not try to control the purely-uncontrollable (as it's a fools errand). You can take your meds daily, be vigilant on regression of symptoms, and act prompt should you start sliding back into a flare. Aspire to lower the stress in your life (as stress can sometimes make our symptoms worse), and live healthier and eat healthier. Accept that we all do flare eventually, even if we follow our individual treatment plan devotedly without ever trailing from it. It's just the nature of the illness.

If the anxieties or depression in your life are too much to manage at the moment, then do seek out counseling/therapy/anti-depressants. There's times where doing so can be an asset, when no sane person can bear what you're going through. Helped some of us!