Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed with UC or you’ve had the condition for years, you may experience bouts of anxiety and depression.
Living with ulcerative colitis (UC) requires taking good care of your physical health. Taking your medication and avoiding foods that worsen symptoms can bring relief from diarrhea and abdominal pain and even lead to remission.
However, managing your physical health is only one aspect of living with UC. You also need to take care of your mental health.
Rates of depression
It’s important to know how to recognize signs of depression and anxiety. If left untreated, mood disorders can become worse and make it harder to cope with your chronic condition.
UC is an unpredictable disease. You might feel energetic and well one day but experience debilitating pain and diarrhea a few days later.
The constant ups and downs of this condition can make it difficult to plan ahead or complete everyday activities. You might have trouble keeping up with work or school, or it might be a challenge to maintain an active social life.
UC is a chronic, long-term condition that doesn’t have a cure yet. Most people living with UC experience symptoms on and off for their whole life. The unpredictable nature of this disease can significantly affect quality of life.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, it can feel as if you’re being held hostage by your own body. For these reasons, some people living with UC may develop anxiety and depression.
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to foreign substances and infections. When the body is under attack, the immune system stimulates an inflammatory response, which prompts the healing process.
Problems occur when your body remains in an inflamed state due to an overactive immune system.
Prolonged, chronic inflammation can lead to brain and tissue damage. It’s been linked to a variety of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression.
Depression isn’t an inflammatory disorder. However, inflammatory pathways in the brain can interfere with neurotransmitters. This reduces your level of serotonin, a chemical that plays a role in happiness and well-being.
Since UC is marked by chronic inflammation, this might explain the link between UC and mental health conditions.
In a 2017 study, a 56-year-old man with major depressive disorder sought treatment with psychiatric care and antidepressants. After receiving treatment, his mental health symptoms didn’t improve.
He was later diagnosed with UC and began conventional treatment to reduce inflammation. Soon after, his depression symptoms improved, and he had less suicidal thoughts.
Based on this outcome, some researchers believe that treating chronic inflammation may help improve mental health symptoms.
Everyone experiences periods of sadness at some point in their lives. However, it’s important to recognize when a mental health problem may require professional help.
Common symptoms include:
- persistent sadness or a feeling of emptiness
- feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt
- loss of interest in your favorite activities
- isolation or withdrawal from friends
- extreme fatigue
- difficulty concentrating
- irritability
- loss of appetite
- unexplained weight loss
- substance misuse
- suicdal thoughts
Help is out there
If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:
- Call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Caring counselors are available to listen and provide free and confidential support 24/7.
- Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor for free and confidential support 24/7.
- Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
- Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.
If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.
If you’re not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.
Speaking with your healthcare professional is the first step you should take to get help for anxiety or depression associated with UC.
Treatment may include adjusting your medication to better control inflammation. Your healthcare professional may also prescribe an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication to improve your mood.
They may also recommend therapy with a mental health professional. These sessions can supply you with coping methods and stress management skills. You’ll also learn how to change your thinking patterns and dispel negative thoughts that worsen depression.
In addition to conventional therapy, home remedies and lifestyle changes may help improve your mental health.
Examples of healthy lifestyle habits include:
- avoiding alcohol or drugs
- engaging in regular physical activity
- eating a balanced diet
- spending time with friends and family
- finding a local support group
Help is available for depression and anxiety. Along with speaking with your medical team, friends, and family, take advantage of some of these other resources available to you:
UC symptoms may come and go throughout your life. While there’s no cure for UC, it’s possible to treat the depression and anxiety that could accompany it.
Speak with your doctor or a mental health professional and discuss how you feel. Depression and anxiety won’t go away overnight, but the right treatment and support can improve your symptoms and quality of life.
