Serena Paul

Professor Graham Drechsler

Independent Research I G/T

26 February 2017

Independent Research G/T Synthesis Paper

Approximately 1.6 million Americans are affected by an Inflammatory Bowel Disease

(CCFA) and I am one to be affected by the inflammatory bowel disease, pancolitis. Pertaining to

my childhood, I was sick consistently, as I was unable to digest food properly. This led to the

concerns of my parents and my pediatrician. Ultimately, I had a colonoscopy, which is an

endoscopic examination of the colon (Merriam-Webster) and in which, I was diagnosed with

pancolitis.Pancolitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that ultimately affects the entire

colon (Hopkins). Although,there are many different treatments for this illness, pancolitis is

incurable, however the symptoms can be reduced with different medications and diet restrictions.

Similarly to any other chronic disease, pancolitis has affected me both physically and mentally.

The physical symptoms I had experienced through pancolitis was abdominal pains and cramps,

fatigue, weight loss, etc. Through these physical symptoms, simple miniscule tasks, such as,

getting out of bed became extremely difficult. I was also affected mentally through this chronic

illness as I suffered with major depression as a result of having this illness. With chronic

diseases, people with chronic diseases are more likely to suffer from depression (NIMH) due

to the physical and mental aspects of the disease. With inflammatory bowel diseases specifically

targeting young children and teenagers, they often face both physical and emotional pain.

Because a patient is suffering emotionally due to this illness, the patient has a higher risk of

major depression due to the factors of the the illness being chronic, the physical aspect of

pancolitis and the mental symptoms of this illness.

Serena Paul

Professor Graham Drechsler

Independent Research I G/T

26 February 2017

Inflammatory Bowel Disease represents a group of intestinal disorders that cause

prolonged inflammation of the digestive tract (Healthline). The most common types of

inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and crohns disease, however inflammation

can occur anywhere in the intestinal tract. Ulcerative Colitis is a chronic disease of the large

intestine, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or

ulcers, that produce pus and mucous (CCFA). However, Crohns disease is different as it is

defined as a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation of the

digestive, or gastrointestinal tract(Crohns & Colitis). Although these two diseases are chronic,

inflammation starts in different areas of the large intestine and have different symptoms on the

patient.

With the symptoms the patient encounters with either one of these inflammatory bowel

diseases, tasks that once were simple will soon become difficult, such as the patient getting out

of bed, brushing their teeth, etc. For example,if the patient wanted to get out of bed to start their

day, it could be impractical to due to the abdominal pain they face. Fundamentally, the patients

difficult time of not being able to do simple tasks will result in the patient being distressed over

their illness. In addition, if the patient wanted to go out, the physical symptoms such as fatigue

and a feeling of low energy will prevent them from being able to go out. Correspondingly, due to

their illness, they miss school because they have to go to the doctors, frequent blood tests,

frequent procedures, they cant go to certain social events (Dr.Murthy). If the patient misses an

extended amount of school days, they could ultimately be denied credit for their classes or have a

difficult time trying to focus on their academic life without their physical symptoms interrupting
Serena Paul

Professor Graham Drechsler

Independent Research I G/T

26 February 2017

their academic life, leading to being unsuccessful in their academic life, which leads to a higher

risk of major depression. Furthermore, one recent study offers evidence for poorer college

adjustment among those with IBD relative to healthy controls and suggests that youth with active

disease may be at risk for poor outcomes (Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition).

Since the patient will suffer from this illness chronically, their entire academic life from when

they are diagnosed with their inflammatory bowel disease to as they transform into an adult may

be more difficult for them than a average student due to their physical symptoms making it

difficult for them. Ultimately, if the child misses school or social events due to their chronic

illness, over a longer period of time, the patient will become heavily depressed because of this.

In addition, medications can also play a role on a childs risk of major depression.With

steroids, you gain weight, obtain facial acne, it changes your appearance(Dr.Murthy). Steroids

negatively impact your metabolism and the way your body stores fat (Steroidly). If a child or

teenager significantly gains more weight than the other peers in his/her classroom environment,

they are also at risk for bullying. Because the other peers will not understand that the patient is

under steroids and it is not their fault for their significant weight gain, the patient will get bullied

for this, ultimately leading to the risk of major depression. Moreover, steroids can also cause the

patient to obtain facial acne, which alters the patients appearance. Many children and teenagers

are bullied for their facial acne, which also is normal for children and teens. However, the

medication that the patient is will cause facial acne, ultimately leading to provocation of other

peers in his/her classroom, worsening their risk of major depression.

Serena Paul

Professor Graham Drechsler

Independent Research I G/T

26 February 2017

Although these symptoms may recur, periods of relapse can occur out of a sudden due to

the illness being chronic. For example, the patient could be experiencing days, months, years, etc

without their symptoms, but this could change as they encounter their continuing symptoms.

This could affect the patient physically as they could be experiencing days, months, years, etc

without encountering their symptoms, but their symptoms could unexpectedly come back. This

could remind the patient that their illness is long lasting, which could ultimately burden them

and ultimately bring them at a higher risk of major depression.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases can play a role in the physical aspect of a patients life,

but can also affect a person mentally. For example, if a patient has a inflammatory bowel

disease, they may not be able to carry out a full time academic life. As a result of their difficult

time of maintaining an academic life, they blame themselves for the condition that they are due

to their illness, affecting their mental health. In addition,the patient may experience guilt from

having this habitual disease. Feelings of guilt may result from the patient thinking that IBD is

caused by something that they did (CCFA). Guilt overtime will build up as they will blame

themselves for the condition that they are, worsening their mental health.With inflammatory

bowel diseases, flare-ups can occur after not experiencing one for an extended period of time,

within this, the patient could blame themselves for what occurred, and as a conclusion this can

worse their mental health because they will be more unhappy with their life. The patient will

remember that their condition is recurrent where they will have to suffer with this illness forever.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have a higher risk of major depression due to

the factors of the physical symptoms of this illness, the mental aspects and the illness being
Serena Paul

Professor Graham Drechsler

Independent Research I G/T

26 February 2017

chronic. With the physical aspect of this illness, the patient has a difficult time completing their

ordinary routine, this leads to frustration, and sadness, increasing their risk of depression. The

patient may have a more difficult time at their academic life rather than a normal student who

does not suffer from a chronic disease. In addition, the patient may suffer from bullying from

their other peers in their school due to the significant appearance changes. The mental aspect of

this illness also plays a role as the patient can blame theirselves for the illness, which worsens

their mental health.

Serena Paul

Professor Graham Drechsler

Independent Research I G/T

26 February 2017

Works Cited

CCFA Fact Sheet. www.ccfa.org/assets/pdfs/emotional.pdf. Accessed 16 Jan. 2017.

Chronic Illness & Mental Health. National Institute Of Mental Health,

www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/chronic-illness-mental-health/index.shtml.

Accessed 16 Jan. 2017.

Crohns & Colitis. www.crohnsandcolitis.com/crohns. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

HealthSparks. Health Sparks, www.healthsparks.org/

pancolitis-symptoms-causes-and-diagnosis/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2017.

HSS.www.hss.edu/conditions_steroid-side-effects-how-to-reduce-corticosteroid-side-effects.asp.

Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

Merriam-Webster. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonoscopy. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

Murthy, Kaplana, Dr. Interview. By Serena Paul. 3 Feb. 2017.

Psychosocial Issues in Pediatric Inflammatory Disease: Report Of The North American Society

for Pediatric Gastroentrology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Journal of Pediatric

Gastroenterology & Nutrition. Journals. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

Ulcerative Colitis: Introduction. John Hopkins, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

gastroenterology_hepatology/_pdfs/small_large_intestine/ulcerative_colitis.pdf.

Accessed 16 Jan. 2017.