How Life’s Challenges and Past Trauma Can Trigger UC Flares

Like never-ending waves crashing upon the shore, life’s challenges can trigger a colitis flare in a flash. Stress of any kind sends a signal directly to the gut, and in a quick moment, someone with IBD needs a restroom fast. With almost 4 decades of living with colitis, I know that any nanosecond of a slight crisis, fear, or anxiety will require a restroom run. So, how do we handle wave upon wave of life’s challenges with an IBD?

When a winter storm becomes a medical trigger

A couple of weeks ago, I confronted a challenge in the form of Mother Nature. Another winter storm hit the area in which I live. We received 8 inches of ice and snow. Now, I was fine with being snowed in. My husband and I had plenty of food. Thankfully, we didn’t lose our electricity, nor did any water lines break nearby. In other words, we were lucky to have power and water for the duration of this storm, which is uncommon during most major weather challenges. In addition, I had plenty of books and puzzles. So, I felt good, relaxed, and content about being forced indoors for a certain length of time.

But my husband is never content to “sit still.” He feels the need to be doing and working on something all the time. For this storm, he didn’t realize in advance that our tractor battery was dead. His mission became getting to the auto parts store to grab one. But to do this, he needed to get down and then back up the hill on which we live. If the hill were only snowy, I wouldn’t have worried. What sent my colitis into a tizzy was the layer of ice sandwiched between the snow.

The physical toll of watching from the sidelines

On the porch, I stood and watched him try to drive up a slight incline to get from our house to the barn. This was his “practice run”—just checking to see how icy our driveway was. The 4-wheel drive vehicle was no match for the ice. And this “test run” was no match for my colitis. Even with my comfort dog at my side, rubbing and licking my hand, I couldn’t watch the slippery sliding of wheels gaining no traction for more than a minute.

Anxiety for my husband sent me running to the bathroom. Just like our Jeep was engaged in 4-wheel drive mode, my colitis was engaged in warfare—digging into the trenches of my bowel.

And that’s all it took to rev up my UC. That’s it. Just watching my husband driving on ice.

The mind-body connection and past trauma

But as I sat on the porcelain throne, I began thinking of the “why” behind my anxiety. Why was I so worried when I wasn’t even in the vehicle? I was safe on the front porch, not going anywhere. What was it that caused such internal panic?

Then, I realized the fear I felt for my husband stemmed from my past. 31 years ago, during my first year as a teacher, I had a bad car accident during an ice storm as I tried to get to school. During this storm, my car slid off the road and down a 20-foot embankment into an icy creek. Although I climbed my way out of the driver's side window, the physical and emotional scars from that accident remain today. This current colitis flare reminded me of that accident from long ago.

For those of us with IBD, what lies packed away even in the deep recesses of our minds can travel at warp speed at any time straight to our guts. Any kind of emotional toll serves as a quick reminder of the intimate mind and body connection. On this day, while standing on the front porch watching my husband, I got reminded.

And in an instant, a flare began.

Common triggers for ulcerative colitis flares

But life will always deliver its challenges. I began thinking of other moments in my life that ignited my colitis. No restroom access will immediately fire up a flare. This reality probably ranks as the #1 culprit for my UC flares. Whether sitting in stopped traffic on the roadway or being someplace where restrooms are either closed or not available triggers my gut to fire off immediate inflammation in the form of bloody diarrhea. And there’s no waiting in these instances. It’s either find one within 2-3 minutes or be prepared for a messy fight. This explains why I look for restrooms no matter where I go, and why I always carry toilet paper. I can’t be without that either.

Other triggers in my life might seem petty or small to outsiders. Major exams, flying on an airplane, heading to work, strange noises in the night, walking outside in the dark, someone scaring me, arguing with someone, my car breaking down, running late and having to rush, interviews, getting packed before travelling, serve as anxiety-producing occurrences that rev up my colitis and send me running for a restroom.

Over the past decade, a new event in my profession as an educator has also caused UC issues. Lockdown drills and practicing for an active shooting scenario are now the “norms” in public school districts across the U.S. Imagine what “pretending” of a school shooter does to anyone with digestive issues and IBD. Trust this teacher: it’s terrible. It’s terrible to hunker down in a corner of a classroom and not think about needing to get to a restroom. Even the challenge of practicing a “non-emergency” drill can cause big consequences.

Strategies for navigating UC flares in the moment

So, what is a sufferer to do during these adversities? In past articles, I’ve always recommended breathing exercises, which I still do. But sometimes, life happens so fast that I forget to do deep breathing. It will indeed calm my nervous system. Practicing other techniques like journaling or visualizing a calm, safe, or favorite place helps one move out of their headspace. Gentle movements like swaying, stretching, or yoga poses help slow down the mind, too. Cold water exposure or humming and singing engages the vagus nerve to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation and using an app for meditation can also help to calm and release tension stored in one’s body. But these relaxation techniques are selective to the moment.

Adjusting your sails and riding the wave

In the end, life’s challenges are going to happen. We all know this. But instead of fighting and resisting these struggles, I’ve tried to remind myself that I just need to ride the wave. Life with Crohn’s or UC isn’t easy. But resisting the flares makes them worse. So, I guess the best approach to life’s hardships is to keep moving. To adjust your sails and ride the wave until smooth sailing prevails.

What are some obstacles that send you into a flare? Share your story in the comment section and see if you don’t feel some relief.