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Internal Symptoms of Emotion

JT

I am diagnosed with ASC & ADD. Previous to receiving this diagnosis I have been chronically ill with Crohn's Disease since 2012. I developed it during a period of immense work stress, pulling long hours and taking on the highest quality of work I could produce in my late 20s. I ended up quitting through ill health.

Recently, I discussed some very difficult family things with my brother who lives in Australia about the relationship we have, or don't have as the case may be, with our Dad.

It was intense and brought up a lot of emotion in me. I went to sleep last night feeling ok, but this morning have been the most ill I've been in some time. Sorry to note, but it has triggered internal stomach pain, I suspect inflammation, and diarrhea all day. I'm a beaten man right now.

But my question is, do you notice physical internal responses to emotion & stress? I mean, notably serious ones like auto-immune responses?

Just wondering if I'm ever going to see the end of this terribly debilitating disease in my life time, as it's a suffering I wouldn't wish upon anyone

  • in reply to JT

    That depends what you mean by overcome. I found keeping hydrated helps the joints. Moving in ways which protects them rather than damaging them, trying to do enough exercise without overstraining them, but that is hard and I do not think I get the balance right, erring on both sides! In the same way it is difficult to get the balance right between overdoing it and getting tired so having to rest and then finding it hard to get going again. Better if one can manage just enough activity each day! But some days it is unavoidable to have to do too much.

    I prefer prayer to meditation, and my faith helps me keep going and trust that things will be better one day, even if in the next life! I find it hard to not get stressed by things, reminding myself it is not just down to me, but the things which are not in my hands are in God's hands and He will help me with the parts which are in my hands helps too.

    But I don't think I would claim to have overcome arthritis, or anxiety. I don't think they have overcome me either, but that would be a point which could be debated! I could do better; I could do worse.

    My Dad tries to limit the effects of his IBS by diet. Also he started taking Symprove which is one of those gut bacteria things, but one which actually does have good science behind it and has to be taken first thing on an empty stomach so it can bypass the stomach acid. He found it meant he could eat more different things which he had not been able to for years. But he still has issues with his guts, especially when he gets stressed.

  • in reply to JT

    Thank you! My partner has started an enforced 30 minutes of weighted blanket relaxing time a day (which is quite good at the moment, as I am bad at deciding to do good things for myself hah!) so him saying "this next 30 minutes you don't have to do anything but just lay here and listen to music etc" seems to be helping a bit :) In between flareups I feel ok, so I guess it is a 'Is what it is' (don't like the phrase but is appropriate here) situation

  • in reply to AuTriker

    Thank you, that's nice of you.

    Have you found any ways to overcome your arthritis or other ailments?

    It's tough. I am better when I can work in a controlled environment, and I meditate every day.. but I often fall off the wagon

  • Yes, stress can cause physical symptoms including triggering an existing condition to flare up. I think this a medically known thing, it is certainly something I can anecdotally confirm. My Dad's and my husband's IBS can flare with stress. I can get digestive issues with stress too, or dizziness. I suspect I have "made myself ill" in other ways due to stress in the past too. And stress was most likely a factor in my getting arthritis aged about 20 as well, which is an autoimmune disease, although there were other triggers too.

    I'm sorry your Crohn's is so bad, I hope are feeling less terrible today.

  • in reply to Starfox

    Sorry to hear you have to deal with that. Prior to this flare up I'd been feeling really quite good, I put that down to my daily meditation practice. I definitely recommend adding that to your toolkit

  • Can't say for sure, but recent Autism diagnosed at 31, but got Shingles last year at 30 and this year was rushed to hospital with some rare digestive inflammatory disease thing (mesenteric panniculitis) both of which can be triggered by stress and are much more common in the 50+ year community, so I do wonder whether it is stress of just coping with things that have brought on these immune issues (the body and mind trying to metaphorically juggle too many things at the same time) -- I get advised to 'stress less' but I always feel stressed so I really don't know how to go about it!