alright ok alright ok happy #WorldIBDDay !!!!! here is a lil thread abt ulcerative colitis/ibd

ibd stands for inflammatory bowel disease
its an umbrella term for disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive system
there are 2 main forms; crohn’s disease + ulcerative colitis
crohn’s can be throughout the digestive tract, colitis is only in the large intestine

inflammation is the body’s reaction to injury, irritation or infection n can cause redness, swelling n pain also known as ulcers
with colitis, these ulcers develop on the surface of the bowel lining n may bleed n produce mucus

theres still more research to be done on ibd, its causes n definition but it has characteristics of both immune-mediated diseases (where the immune system works overtime) n autoimmune diseases (where the immune system attacks itself) treatment can also include immunosuppressants

the symptoms of undiagnosed ibd can often be confused with ibs, however ibd is more severe and bc it is a chronic incurable illness it is classed as a disability which u can (theoretically) claim benefits for (good luck under the tories tho)

although colitis is primarily a disease of the digestive system it can also affect many other parts of the body. for me personally, i suffer from very low energy, anaemia, vitamin b12 deficiency and joint pain

1 in every 420 people in the uk suffer from ulcerative colitis, and 1 in every 650 from crohn’s disease, my auntie has crohns yet before i was diagnosed with colitis in 2016 i’d never heard of either of them. this is bc there is a huge stigma attached to these conditions

over the last few years the charity crohns & colitis uk have ran a campaign with the slogan “not every disability is visible” n petitioned pubs and public areas to put up these signs in their toilets, it’s hard to explain the difference this can make to our lives but i’ll try

i can only speak for myself n my experience with colitis but once this disease became part of my life it became very apparent to me how much shame we as a society have around going to the toilet. when ur digestive system regularly malfunctions this can become quite problematic

i go to the toilet probably twice/three times more often than most people i know n when spending extended time with me it becomes noticeable, this is not my fault, nor is it dirty or wrong yet i still feel self conscious and ashamed by body’s needs

i was having a session with my therapist the other day and i nearly broke down crying telling her about how i opt out of social events both virtual during lockdown, and in person before, out of anxiety around going to the toilet around other people

i didn’t even realise how much this upset me or how vulnerable it made me feel until i was talking about it, and i think that’s why disabled toilets in particular have become such a safe space for me, and why “not every disability is visible” is so important

it is also important bc people like me who appear able-bodied on the surface are held to the same standards as our able-bodied peers whilst never being able to live up to them. i often feel like people forget im disabled but i can never forget bc my body never stops reminding me

so yeah i hope this thread has been informative if u have any questions feel free to ask but for more accurate/precise information i recommend http://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk  they are a wonderful charity who do so much to support people like me !