Managing ulcerative colitis (UC) may be exhausting. Keeping appointments, making lifestyle changes, and generally adjusting to live with a chronic disease requires time and energy. It may be tiring at times.

At the age of 21, I was diagnosed with UC. It took a long time to discover what works best for controlling the disease.

The resources listed below have been really beneficial to me on my health path, but it’s vital to realize that we’re all unique. What works for one individual may not work for another, and that’s just OK.

I call this the “medical cocktail” since the contents in your drink may taste wonderful to you, but it does not guarantee that I will have the same experience, and vice versa. Considering additional alternatives might assist you in determining which combination is your ideal fit!

Mental well-being

It’s easy to concentrate on your physical body and overlook how UC affects your mental health. Managing a chronic disease may be difficult. You may experience anxiety or despair at times.

A therapist or trained mindset coach who specializes in chronic disease may assist you in navigating the nonphysical aspects of having UC.

Therapy will provide you with strategies to help you cope with stress and reframe negative beliefs. It’s also a secure place to cry.

Having difficulty locating a therapist? Mental Health Match is a fantastic, free resource that might be of assistance.

Community

When you have a chronic ailment, community is important. UC may be lonely, and you may feel as if no one knows what you’re going through.

Finding a group where you feel seen and heard is beneficial in both good and bad times. Members of the community will congratulate you on for victories that others may dismiss as unimportant. When it comes to maintaining your mental health, community is a precious asset.

Where do you look for community? Follow hashtags like #ulcerativecolitiswarrior or #spooniefamily on Instagram. Begin following the accounts of other chronically sick people who inspire you, boost you up, or have comparable ailments and tales to yours.

On Instagram, I’ve made many of my closest friends and contacts. I know our parents told us not to speak to strangers on the internet, but it pays off in this situation!

Stress control

When it comes to living with UC, stress may be a major trigger. In fact, it’s one of my most powerful triggers. No matter how vigilant I am with my medicine and nutrition, each significant relocation or life change has resulted in worsening symptoms.

Healthy stress-management coping strategies that have worked for me include:

• • • yoga breathwork meditation
    • establishing a morning routine
    • observing sleep hygiene
    • spending daily alone time beginning a gratitude notebook

To begin started, I suggest the following free resources:

• • • Insight Timer (a free meditation and live yoga app)
    • Yogi (Black Yogi) Nico Marie’s channel on YouTube
    • Adriene’s Yoga on YouTube
    • “The Power of Now”
    • “Burnout: The Secret of Unlocking the Stress Cycle”
    • “Think Like a Monk”
    • Naturopathic physicians
    • I honestly feel that Western and Eastern medicine complement each other well. It doesn’t always have to be either/or.

I adore my conventional gastroenterologist (and having one on your care team is critical). But I couldn’t make it through this trip without the help of a naturopathic doctor.

In my perspective, naturopathic physicians spend more time looking for answers and seeking solutions to my UC.

A basic Google search will usually provide results for naturopathic physicians in your region. Don’t worry if you can’t find a naturopathic doctor.

The main point

Managing UC might be difficult. However, there are instruments available to assist.

With all of these information, techniques, and focal points, controlling my UC has gotten a little simpler, even on the most difficult of days.