Friends and Crohn's/Colitis

[alfredothebarber]

Does anyone else sometimes feel like their friends just don't understand what we go through? When I have really bad bouts, I can be bed-ridden for months. But, sometimes, I feel like my friends don't really appreciate how debilitating this disease can be; maybe it's because it doesn't have the brand recognition of cancer/diabetes/etc.

I'm really just venting. I feel like sometimes people are just so dismissive about Crohn's/Colitis and that they think it's something so minute.

 

[Crohns08]

I feel like that all the time. I honestly just don't tell people unless I think they are mature enough to realize it's a real disease with real impacts on our lives. When I was in high school I was in the marching band and because I have a high pain tolerance and I can endure a lot before getting tired or sick they all thought I was faking my disease when I was doing my best trying to be normal and hiding it.

 

[Ian]

maybe it's because it doesn't have the brand recognition of cancer/diabetes/etc.

Haha brand recognition - that's a great way of putting it.

You're right, it needs more awareness - unfortunately I think the bowel-related 'ick' factor is what prevents it from being awareness-friendly. I love medical dramas and watch loads of them - and IBD never comes up. Ever. I guess it isn't as 'sexy' as other diseases. It's annoying because it's through these sorts of mediums that people are educated on such things, and if they didn't shy away from them we might find people's reaction to finding out we have it would be more of an 'oh no, I'm sorry!' rather than a 'pffftt, who cares?' or 'errr, what's that?'.

But then again, there are places like this where you can not only get support from people who can empathise, but where you can also bitch about everyone else without them ever finding out haha.

 

[KWalker]

Someone I thought to be my best friend actually talked **** about people with crohn's not knowing I myself have it. He would go on about how stupid they are, and maybe if they "got off the couch once and awhile, they wouldn't have it". Needless to say, he now knows I have crohn's, and we are no longer friends.