It’s Hard to Accept IBS

What’s actually hard to get used to, most times, is the fact that this is actually happening to me. Me! You know, sometimes I preach to other IBS sufferers about acceptance and having a positive mindset. Accepting their IBS so that they develop the courage and strength to deal with it on a daily basis. But let’s be honest, living with a chronic and debilitating illness is far from easy, and to expect any of us to be happy or positive 100% of the time is unrealistic and too much to ask for on a daily basis.

Overcoming the obstacles

The life of an IBS sufferer is very difficult and discouraging. Can you imagine suffering pain 24/7 and hardly getting a break from it? Can you picture how hard it is to have mental energy, let alone physical energy, when you’re constantly being drained of it on the toilet and through depression? I remember leaving a number of jobs because of the fact that my IBS wouldn’t allow me stay consistently productive. The pain would be too unbearable to function with. I also remember having to drop out of college because I was missing too many classes and didn’t want to pay for an education I was missing out on. I even lost a number of friends because I didn’t have the energy to hold on to the relationships, or explain what I was going through. I was on a dark road for a long time due to my IBS. How can one function in life with this kind of obstacle? Let’s stop right there and think about that question for a moment…

The answer is: it’s possible!

We are only human, and from time to time we are going to have our down moments. Guess what? That’s OK because, as human beings, we’re allowed to have those down moments. However, it’s what we do after those moments that makes all the difference. Are we going to stay down and dwell in our misery, or are we going to get back up and keep fighting? No one said life was either fair or easy, and I know that sounds insensitive but it’s the truth, and the truth hurts. We are living a life full of struggles, and to suffer from a chronic condition just makes it even harder. Even still, my belief is that we were not put on Earth as weak beings. We are a lot stronger than we think and feel, therefore it’s important that we learn to harness that strength and willpower to move forward even through the hardships.

Standing together

It’s so easy to be negative. It’s so easy to have low morale and have a negative view about life. The fact that we suffer from a chronic condition is no excuse to give up. If we don’t use what we have to make life worth it for us, and others, then we are wasting valuable time. We have voices to raise and spread awareness about IBS, and we also have compassion and understanding to support those who suffer from any invisible chronic illness. It might be hard to accept what we go through from time to time, but what we’re going through is nothing compared to what we can do for society and those who suffer like we do. So for those who don’t want to accept their IBS, well at least accept responsibility in raising awareness and let’s stand together and contribute back to those who could use our support.