Just stop!!… Is the line my
wife finds herself saying to me most days. I am of course referring to the
endless chatter one has with ones self when dealing with a chronic illness. You
see my brain knows there is a “system error” it knows there is something terribly
wrong and is constantly trying to find a way out, I mean constantly! It’s absolutely
exhausting! For all the useful torrents of information connectivity has gifted
us, its so very easy to find ones self falling down the rabbit hole of endless Crohn’s
disease forums, Facebook groups or “Expert” YouTube channels in search of some relief,
and lets face it, the list is endless.
I often wonder if there is
some link between the classic over thinker (me) and chronic disease. Indeed, if
it was 5000BC and I was leading my tribe across a lion infested plain in
southern Africa, I would be in my element! Firing on all cylinders! Intently
observing the horizon for any potential threats, maybe a herd of marauding
wilder beasts? A pack of starving hyenas? I would be constantly monitoring for any
threats. But as it’s November 2018 and I’m sat in my living room writing this month’s
blog my classic over thinking brain is largely redundant.
As you may know from previous
blogs I like to share best practice, and one of the most significant treatments
I have found for dealing with this disease is CBT (cognitive behavioral
therapy) it’s basically a talking therapy that helps manage problems by
changing the way you think. CBT is pragmatic in the sense it helps identify specific problems and tries to solve them. The sessions
are also highly structured, so rather than talking freely about your life, you
generally focus on current problems rather than attempting to resolve past issues. CBT certainly helps reduce the “noise” from my
over thinking brain. Which gives me time to put things in perspective and focus
on anything that isn’t Crohn’s disease.
I am incredibly fortunate to
have access to IBDoc in the context of my over thinking brain as it gets shut
down immediately when I see the results of my latest test; knowing I’m not hours away from a
massive flare up with a low u/ug reading cannot be under estimated.
The main focus from our GI
teams has to be based on the physical of this disease, i.e. disease maintenance,
blood works etc. but as we understand more about the gut- brain connection we
must pay attention to our wellbeing and part of that wellbeing is to accept
that maybe today there are no solutions, so put down that laptop, turn off that
phone, or as my long suffering wife says…Just Stop!
Follow link for NHS CBT
services.