Crohns - stress ---> changing the way you respond

[AJC - Australia]

Coming to terms with having crohns disease is a long process.

Part of that process involves acknowledging that you may have faults and flaws in your own personality/behaviour and lifestyle.

One of the faults i know i have is getting stressy about things...it is a life lesson i needed to learn, how to cope with the stressy situations and i think I have worked it out now, finally!

In stressy situations i would feel my whole abdomen tighten up. Because i was getting quite 'conscious' about my physical body, i would notice that in some situations my gut would tighten up almost cramp like.

I am happy to report that this doesnt happen any more.

I believe the reason that stress would get me in the gut was because i wasnt thinking right about the situation. So i started to work on the way i responded to stressful situations.....this started to give me headaches instead of gut aches. So i worked a bit harder at it.

Today, when a stressful situation enters my life I feel equipped to handle it. maybe it is just getting older (nearly 40) and learning how to cope with life? I think moreso, it is about learning my weaknesses and working on them.

Happy to help others who feel they cannot handle stressy situations.

 

[shamrock15]

I think you have the right idea - we need to change the way we do things and learn to take care of stress before things become issues, or learn ways to avoid stressful issues. We don't always get the choice though. Your last line really sums it up "learning my weaknesses and working on them." I think part of the reason that people have issues now is that the idea of actually looking for faults in yourself is very out of fashion, especially if they aren't easy cosmetic fixes. Anything else seems to fall into the bucket that says "I am happy just the way I am and I don't need to change." Think I'll step down from the soap box before it gets too comfortable...

 

[AJC - Australia]

well said shamrock!

most people with an illness want to think of it like 'poor me, the world has given me this horrible disease and now i have to wait for science to generate a magic elixir that will make it go away.'

that is fair enough - but - after living with crohns for 20+ years you have waited too long for the magic potion....in fact, after a year or two is enough waiting....you want to know what you can do, within yourself, that can make you a bit better.

avoiding stress....well.....that works for a while. I moved to a remote place on acerage and took the phone off the hook....miles from anywhere....the stress still found me! I needed to learn how to deal with it. I have now learned that lesson and it took many many years to learn it. Someone could walk into this room right now and say 'your life is on fire' and I would deal with it. I have developed skills.

Same with diet...

I feel i control two things - ---> my thoughts -----> my diet.

Being able to look at yourself in the mirror and actually say 'i have issues that contribute to my disease' was the most powerful healing tool that I have used.

It is a long road to get to that juncture. I cannot encourage others enough to look into it...by accepting that you 'have issues' is no sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength actually that you are so strong within yourself you are prepared to acknowldege your weaknesses and work on them. It is a weak weak weak man that lives his whole life aware of his weaknesses but never works on them.

 

[Dreamer]

Glad you are in a better place in terms of stress. My wish to everyone with this illness and their loved one to achieved what you've achieved and live a happy stress-free life.

Wish you a happy, healthy life.