Hello, My Name Is...

I spoke to a friend last night who is suffering from Crohn's.

This person is amazingly inspirational to me.

She is tough, and well-spoken about what feelings this disease brings.

When depression sets in, even in the smallest amount, we are in danger of allowing that negativity to interfere with our healing. 

It can set us back countless steps in recovery, and not just in the physical sense. 

Our minds are immensely valuable to our healing process.

Staying positive is something that can be extremely difficult when you're searching for answers to questions like:

'Why am I sick?' ' How can I make others understand just how this feels?' 'Do they really think I'm making this up?'.  If someone is suffering with any chronic disease or disorder, symptoms seem like they have to be so dramatically visible for people to grasp the idea, and even then it is impossible for them to reach that absolute understanding.  

You can sometimes find yourself shutting out everyone if you feel like shouting,

'No one understands me'.

But some do. You have to remember that talking about how you're feeling, physically as well as emotionally, can help very much.  Finding the right group of individuals can change everything. I have built a small group of people who suffer with what I do, and the importance of being able to reach out to them is immeasurable.  There are an infinite number of options if your're feeling alone, depressed, without hope for the situation that you're in. 

So many resources that will get you through.  But you have to put yourself out there.

To talk about it.

Because if you're living with the negative, you can't heal from the inside out with the positive energy that your heart has the ability to create - and that's our job.

Here are some places that I have researched in Boston, where I live.  You can check online for chapters of CCFA Support Groups, online forums [which you can remain totally anonymous for], and groups in your area focusing on serious issues such as what you may be living with right now!  And these people are of all ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles.

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Meetup.com has a GREAT collection of groups that are all over, and you can search for exactly what you're looking for.  I like this idea, because you're not roped into a clinical setting.  Here!

Crohns-Sanity.org is simply awesome.  It's an online forum with a bajillion topics, from food to poop, to surgery, to recovery, to whatever else you can imagine.  You can create these topics yourself, or add to existing conversations.  Very Cool.

Jason Leitman is a 31 year old Crohn's sufferer who has founded a social network for Crohn's! It is called the  Crohn's Disease Support Network, or CDSN.  I met him on

 Twitter- another great place to meet Crohnies!!

Check it/ him out riiiight Here.

I started a support Group in Boston myself last year.  I love these people.

Come by and spill your guts.  [Pun absolutely intended].

Go, go, go!

Alright, my Darlings.  You've gotta remember that you're not alone.  You just have to be brave enough to put yourself out there.  I promise, your quality of life will improve when you see just how strong others are, because you will be forced to see it in yourself. 

And you will. 

 Because you are MIGHTY.