Techniques for Reducing the Stress of Living with Ulcerative Colitis

The sudden onset of diarrhea and fever is one of the most troublesome aspects of ulcerative colitis. Because an ulcerative colitis patient has no control over their bodily functions, there is often considerable amount of stress related to keeping a schedule, dealing with flare ups including messy accidents, and keeping the disease under control. These tips should help ulcerative colitis patients develop habits to help control their stress.

Although I've never had a diagnosis for ulcerative colitis, I've been through many of the tests and traumas ulcerative colitis patients face because of intestinal difficulties that occurred with endometriosis, polyps and an ulcer.

Know Your Bodily Schedule and Adjust Your Appointments

I've learned that until I've had a bowel movement, I'm really not interested in trying to show up at an event or appointment. Once I've managed to relieve the stress on my intestines, I can relax and enjoy many activities. I often require protein really quickly afterwards. This means, my preferred schedule involves a late start time with a lunch quickly following. The advantage of such a schedule means I can deal with my bodily functions at home. While I worked in the office, a late arrival time meant I didn't have to take a sick leave for all night or early morning diarrhea and I could show up fairly certain that my appearance was the best it could be. To this day, morning appointments for me are a real trial and I try to avoid them as much as possible.

Ulcerative colitis patients that use a time management system and understand their bodily functions enough to know when problems occur, and plan accordingly will find their stress greatly reduced.

Clean Up Kit

I've endured occasions when sudden diarrhea hit me and I didn't have time to make it to a bathroom. There's nothing worse than finding yourself soiled and without the means to clean up. Many large companies supply showers for their employees. This can be a great help in these situations. Whether or not a shower is available, ulcerative colitis patients should consider having a gym bag with the essentials to clean up after a mess will find that although trying, they can recover their poise quickly. Consider putting in a wash rag and soap, pre-moistened towels, spare underwear and slacks, a travel bag sized cologne or scent, additional supplies such as anti-inflammatory medicines, sports drinks, and a spare sweater and keeping it where it's accessible for most your activities.

Meditative Activities

Yoga has been my favorite exercise for a long time. The gentle motions tone your body and keep joints from the buildup of calcium that increases the likelihood of joint pain. Because a position is held for several moments, yoga exercises provide ample time to take the mind off of problems. Coloring, sewing or crochet, gardening, birding are all activities that require the attention enough to turn off thoughts about health concerns, finances, personal relationships and other sources of stress. A good walk always clears the mind.

Self Massage

Because I found myself sick many times and slept late, when I next went to try to sleep, I often found myself unable to do so. One of my favorite ways of getting to sleep is to give myself a massage. Even though my husband and I give each other massages, they don't necessarily work the same.

To give yourself a massage, I often use lotion to keep my hands from chaffing the skin. I start from my feet and work to the top of my leg, then do each arm, then do my neck and back, then I do my hands. Tension builds up in your muscles, so the object is to loosen them to the point they turn almost numb. When you massage, rub your thumb along the veins in the direction blood flows. Do your shoulders by reaching over your shoulder and pulling the muscle toward your neck. Do your neck, along your jaw, at temples, rubbing in circular motions. Do your hands last since the massage is work.

Biofeedback and Hypnosis

I've never used either of these techniques but many people report them as helpful for reducing stress. My brother-in-law has used biofeedback techniques for retraining his body after a stroke. They are worth checking out.