How to Stay Positive

By far the most important part of knowing how to live with a chronic disease is knowing how to stay positive in spite of it. Although knowing what an MRE is like, or how to change an ostomy bag is important, the significance of all of these things pale in comparison to keeping a positive attitude. Crohn’s and Colitis are autoimmune diseases, and the immune system is affected in part by one’s mental state. Being anxious or depressed, while perfectly understandable, can also contribute to triggering symptoms or a relapse of the disease.

Having Crohn’s or Colitis is certainly daunting. The idea that you’re going to have a disease for (probably) the rest of your life is not one that’s easy to grapple with for anyone, especially if you were diagnosed when you were young, like many patients. I was diagnosed when I was 10 and could hardly grapple with the fact that this would be something that would affect me for the rest of my life. When we’re small, it’s difficult to think in a broader context — we really only focus on what affects us, and something like being diagnosed with a disease can seem insurmountable.

I always find it helpful to think of my Crohn’s disease as something else I have to face, just like an exam or trying to get into college. Rather than being a large, daunting force, I try to view it as a simple part of my life. I’ve learned that everyone deals with something difficult at some point in their lives, whether it’s a divorce, a death in the family, or a chronic disease. One person’s struggle isn’t any lesser or greater than the other, because each struggle is happening to one individual, and affects that individual uniquely. Having a chronic disease shouldn’t be a tragedy — it is simply something that has happened to us by chance alone, and that we must face as part of our lives.

Having a disease can also have a positive impact on your life. Had I not been diagnosed with Crohn’s, I wouldn’t be half as responsible about taking care of my health as I am now. I wouldn’t have nearly as much self control, and I wouldn’t have realized how important it is to take care of your body and your mind. Granted, I’m not always this positive in the face of my disease. Over the past nine years, I’ve felt like quitting multiple times, and I’ve questioned my ability to keep going. But without fail, I’ve gotten through difficult times, and come out as a better and stronger person because of them.

I also find it incredibly helpful to use my disease for something positive. When I first got diagnosed, I was terrified of discussing my disease with anyone (let’s be honest, digestive issues aren’t the most tantalizing conversation points). Slowly I learned, however, that the more I discussed my disease, the more I raised awareness of it, and the more I helped other people understand what I was going through. Crohn’s or Colitis aren’t easy diseases to deal with on your own, so discussing your experiences with friends or family will help those around you to help you along the way. I also started to mentor younger patients (with the help of my doctor) who had been recently diagnosed. Rather than my disease being a negative force in my life and in those of the people I loved, I could use my experiences with it to help others who were going through what I went through, and to tell them that they were capable of facing whatever obstacles it threw at them. Any struggle we face teaches us something, and it can be incredibly helpful to transform these learning moments into things we can teach others.

As I’ve said above, I can’t say I’ve always had a positive outlook on my disease. When I first got diagnosed, it was an incredibly difficult obstacle to face, and over the course of my life since, there were many times in which I doubted my strength and my ability to overcome. However, every time I’ve doubted myself, I’ve come out stronger and more prepared to face obstacles that come my way. Having a chronic disease is definitely something that isn’t easy to deal with, but the experiences we have while surmounting obstacles can make you stronger and more resilient as a result.