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Having an inflammatory bowel disease doesn’t only affect your bowel, but it also causes an anxiety disorder, which can be a pretty severe one.

Dr. Esme Fuller-Thomson, who is the lead author and a professor at the University of Toronto, says that IBD can result in substantial disease-related chronic physical issues in the patients. These problems also trigger anxiety disorders that make the situation more challenging. This double-jeopardy, therefore, must be addressed.

Dr. Thomson made this statement after conducting a study that involved nearly 300 adults. Researchers found that the risk of developing generalized anxiety disorders is twice in these patients as compared to the individuals who do not have Crohn’s disease or colitis. The risk of developing this disease-related anxiety is manifold in women. Women are four times more likely to develop an anxiety disorder as compared to men.

This study puts light on the necessity for the patients or individuals with the risk of developing such disorders to undergo routine screening and targeted interventions to prevent and treat anxiety issues. The most vulnerable individuals among IBD patients in this regard are women and the ones who suffer from chronic pain.

Ostomy treatment options

The best way to deal with anxiety issues related to an IBD is to get an ostomy treatment, which aims at removing the diseased part of the bowel, giving patients the much-needed relief once and for all.

Here are the treatment options to consider.

Brooke Ileostomy: 

Brooke ileostomies are also known as traditional ileostomies. This option will result in an abdominal opening that allows the small intestine to open into the outside of the body. The wastes will leave the body without proceeding to the diseased part of the bowel, which the surgeon will either remove or put to rest. You are going to have to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma to manage your stool evacuations. It may be a challenge to live with an ileostomy bag at first, but once you adapt to this routine, you will be able to live a healthy and active life.

J-pouch: 

A j-pouch, or ileoanal reservoir, allows you to pass out stools through your anus. The surgeon will choose to give you this internal reservoir if your anal canal and a part of the rectum are still intact. The surgeon will create the reservoir by folding the end of the small intestine into itself and suturing the combined sides. An incision at the bottom will allow the reservoir to open into the anal canal. It will let you control stool evacuations through anal sphincters.

Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir: 

A Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir, or BCIR, is the gold standard continent ileostomy procedure due to its ability to prevent leakage and give a patient the peace of mind. The internal reservoir created in this process connects to an opening in the abdomen through a valve, which is secured by a collar made of living tissues from the small intestine. This collar keeps the waste content from flowing out of the opening. You will need a catheter to draw waste contents out.