How do I stop hiding my ulcerative colitis at age 25?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have ulcerative colitis, and I know I do it, but I keep telling people I am fine even when I am bleeding, cramping, and have not slept properly in weeks. My calprotectin came back at 480 last month, and I still told my family it was "just a small flare."

How do you stop minimizing your symptoms at age 25 when you do not want to seem like you are always complaining?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It is common to remain strong in front of your family and minimize symptoms when you want to comfort them instead of troubling them.

However, ulcerative colitis is not your fault. This is a disease that anyone could develop. It is a medical condition, and everyone knows about it. Sometimes we feel that we know what others think about it, and this is called jumping to conclusions or fortune telling, but this is a cognitive distortion.

Most of the time, there is no evidence that family members are not taking it seriously or considering it to be complaining behavior. Sometimes, it is a distortion of our own thinking. What if someone had this disorder and told you about it? How would you think about it? You would be empathetic, and this is a natural response.

You can share it with your family members and start gradually. Talk to the person you trust the most first, and then gradually tell others. Secondly, you do not need everyone to be on your side, but the people who care need to know about it, and you can share it with them.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at iCliniq.

Thank you.