If you have been diagnosed with a gut condition or disease, such as IBS, then it can feel lonely. Knowing that you are not alone with your diagnosis can help you understand the reality of living with a gut condition. Try reaching out to others for support, advice and share stories about your condition.
Online communities for many gut conditions can be found through social media. Visit Facebook and type in your specific condition. #spoonie or #sugarspoonie can link you to find others that suffer from invisible diseases, like sugar intolerance. EIR (The Environmental Illness Resource) has a forum for conditions such as celiac disease, so that you can get a better understanding of what your condition is and learn from others who are living with it as well. The forum includes specific diet plans and various diseases. Another helpful online forum is at www.ibsgroup.org. The site has a variety of support tools, including various forums for different symptoms of IBS.
If you want to connect in person, try looking for Meetups in the health and wellness category in your area. You can find diet plans and activities that may help you adjust to living with a gut condition and still enjoying an active social life.
Many gut conditions are related to stress. If stress exacerbates your gut condition, such as sucrose intolerance or IBS, try journaling. Writing down how you are feeling can help you channel some of your stress onto the page. It may also help you find foods that trigger a reaction to your gut disorder, or help you realize that you have to be more mindful to keep your sugar intolerance under control.
Whether you suffer from one gut condition or several, there are various tools to help support and aid your mental health as you learn about how to deal with your disorder.