Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
Anyone with Crohn's or colitis can relate to feeling sick and tired of being sick and tired. Every single day can feel like a fight. Life gets mundane and just plain tough and after years of struggling to live life normally, well, you just hit a wall sometimes.
Being sick is tiring. Not only is it tiring physically, but it is tiring mentally. And it is completely normal to have a moment where you throw in the towel. Where you say: I've had enough of this! I can’t do this every single day! I just want a break! I just want to feel better!
Yes, we are human. Yes, this is normal.
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But, I am here to caution you. Make sure you don't hang out too long in this stage. Allow yourself to feel the feelings. Let yourself let out a good cry. Vent to a spouse or friend. Certainly don’t bottle the emotions in. But, don't let it drag out. After you allow yourself to grieve, perhaps for a day or two, push yourself out into the land of positivity. You owe it to yourself.
When I mean positivity, I don't mean you have to prance around faking being happy and plastering on a Barbie smile for all to see. I just mean push your thoughts into thoughts of strength. Thoughts that tell your body you’re on its side and want to see it feel better. I'll never forget someone telling me: your body hears your thoughts. That really stuck with me. Ever since then whenever I have a moment of feeling upset towards my body, I choose to comfort it.
For example, I like to rub my abdomen and even specifically place my hand over my descending colon and say: "I see you’re hurting today but we are going to get better. I’m going to drink some broth now. You got this. I’m going to give you the tools to get better."
Balancing my emotions with positive self-talk
You may laugh, but since I recently started to do this, I noticed a shift. No, I am not miraculously healed of Crohn's, but I am improving. I recently started some new treatments and have made it a point to speak life into my body and let it know I’m on its side. Let it know I’m rooting for it and I’m proud of how far it has come since being diagnosed. And guess what, I have been improving.
So, perhaps you can relate, or maybe not. But hey, that's what this community is all about, sharing thoughts, ideas, and letting others with inflammatory bowel disease know that they aren‘t alone and we are ALL going through it. It isn't an easy journey and having that moment of feeling like throwing in the towel is something we all go through. This diagnosis is just as hard mentally as it is physically.
Sick and tired of being sick and tired with Crohn's?
How about you? Anything you do to help get you through the tough mental moments of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis? Are you kind to your body, or do you feel angry towards it? Share below, let's chat.
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