Boo Birds
It's the accumulated stress from the physical miseries that get me down. And that makes me angry. I had to wait 5 months for a mental health provider apt. And then it didn't happen. It was supposed to be virtual & there was miscommunication. That's my question. How are others treating the anxiety & depression that comes with Crohns? I know there has to be help for this part of ibd. Just like all the other meds, there are so many choices when it comes to mental drugs. I just desperately want that help. Having a better outlook may mean I can better cope with the other grimy parts of my life. My battle is old, 47 years. I need mental & physical treatment as much as you who are just diagnosed. Some days I am very angry at what life has dealt me. Keeping perspective is very hard.
Hi
. I can feel your (very understandable) frustration and it is good that you are looking for ways to address the emotional/mental aspects of a chronic condition like Crohn's. Has the doctor been willing to make a new (hopefully soon) appointment? You certainly are not alone. Often the emotional aspects take a backseat to the physical, but they are very real and it is all interconnected. I want to start off with this article from our editorial team on mental health and IBD: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living-with-cd/mental-health and this one on general mental health resources: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/mental-health/coping-general-resources. Also, our patient leaders have written a number of articles on mental health, such as this one from Marissa: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/mental-health-priority and this one from Jenna: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/mental-health-tips and here from Krystal: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/mental-health-and-self-care. Like I said, there are quite a number and you may want to do a little searching with the button at top left to find additional items. I hope this information is helpful and please know that this community is here for you. Best, Richard (Team Member) 
I feel your pain immensely. I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2014 when my Crohn's Disease was at its worst and I had a partial colectomy. I have been on Prozac (20 mg daily) since May 2014 and also saw a therapist for a few years to help me better handle my situation. I have since stopped therapy but continue taking Prozac daily and have found great relief.
The articles shared by Richard above are also helpful resources. It is definitely hard to live with a chronic illness, and I personally know how much our attitudes determine our quality of life, physically.
I have also written a few articles that deal with the emotional toll that Crohn's brings on us, and how to overcome them, that may be helpful:
https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/flare-coping-strategies
https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/grateful-for-diagnosis#comment-525580
https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/find-joy
https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/worst-days-with-crohns-uc#comment-521665
-- Julie (Team Member)
