Alive - and starting to kick
Among other things, I have Crohn's, ADHD, generalized anxiety, and occasional migraines. Join here for tips, tricks and to connect others who have similar conditions!
Hello fellow bowels of irritation!
For the past 10+ years I’ve been on a journey to figure out WTF works for me. What could alleviate the intense nausea I felt at the first sign of anxiety, seemingly unstoppable negative mind-talk, and the constant flare ups (I’m talking diarrhea, no appetite, blood in stools, massive acid reflux, debilitating cramping).
All of these symptoms happened simultaneously for me in 2021. While attempting to become a teacher (during the pandemic), my anxiety hit an all time high. I vomited every morning and couldn’t eat until night fell. I wanted to swerve into oncoming traffic. I quit (beating myself up every possible moment), and then spent six months of my life afraid to leave my house, firmly believing I would never hold a ‘normal’ job again.
I buckled down and tried to figure my stuff out. I got crappy marketplace health insurance, saw my GI, got a (really expensive) colonoscopy AND endoscopy. I saw a nutritionist. I got a good therapist. I thought I was done. I found a job I loved that was in education without being the teacher. I was BETTER.
Fast forward to October 2024, when my job laid me off with no warning. No thank you. And suddenly, all my symptoms reared their heads again, all my anxiety flooded back.
And so - here we are. I am back to my old bag of tricks - big and small - that have helped me keep myself alive throughout the years, despite the ways my body and brain try to pull me down. This is a blog to discuss what has worked for me and what hasn’t, to invite others to share their own, and to grow a community around real healing, without fear.
Because fear is the biggest enemy, and everything is connected. Anxiety = upset stomach. For me, at least. And that, my friends, is what I’ve been working to counteract.
Please note: I’m not a health professional, and these are mainly anecdotal ideas to help those suffering gastroenterologically.
The nitty gritty: I plan to post weekly tips and tricks based on my own experiences, with more personal, in-depth pieces bimonthly. Am I using that right? Twice a month. Right now I’ve decided against a paid subscription, as I am truly looking for community. Comments are welcome!
If you want to go on this journey with me, if you have had any of these issues and want some guidance or a place on the internet to scream into the abyss about them, subscribe!
Until next time, survive and thrive my friends <3
-S. G. Simily