Techniques for Dealing with the Stress of Ulcerative Colitis

There are several different theories about what exactly causes Ulcerative Colitis, which is an inflammatory bowel disease, but it is known that stress is not one of the causes. Despite that fact, stress can alter a person's symptoms and cause "flare ups."

Stress can be caused by many different factors; from as minor as a dog's constant barking, or as important as a loss of a loved one. This stress can change how your body is digesting, and more acid could be produced. This is not a good thing for anyone, but when you have UC, this can be very painful. In this society, avoiding stress has become near impossible.

Every person is different on how they deal with their stress. I have found that my breathing helps the best. I do not like to rely on medications too heavily, and have found that having UC makes that difficult. I have tried many different alternatives to help cut back on how many pills I am putting in my mouth. I do not discount the need for anti-anxiety pills, and I have taken them in the past. The best way that I have controlled flare ups is through my diet, but when I have stomach spams and find myself in pain I get pretty stressed out. The stress of everyday life comes in many forms and can happen when I am not at home, and learning how to "breathe" has helped control my flare ups.

Learning breathing exercises is fairly easy. I researched it online, and I checked some books out from my local library. Yoga classes and meditation classes are an alternative for learning relaxation. I have learned that most people breathe from their chests, and that to calm myself, I needed to breathe from my diaphragm. The diaphragm is the muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen. Breathing this way helped me slow down, and become calmer. When I take in air, I let it fill up in my stomach and when I exhale, it naturally makes my abdomen contract. Taking a few minutes doing this and just focusing on my breathing helped a lot. When my abdomen naturally contracts, it helps the muscles relax and that helped with my bowel movements.

There are several different forms of relaxation, and deep breathing is just one of them. I found that slowing down, contracting and relaxing the muscles in my body starting from the feet also helps. The deep breathing is the easiest and quickest form for me, especially when I am not at home. When I am driving and I get stressed, I will make sure that the radio is off and I will just breathe. Taking a moment and relaxing, especially when you have UC, can be very beneficial. It's free, it's easy and you have nothing to lose by trying it.