Online Support for Crohn’s Disease and Colitis

If you’re suffering from Crohn’s disease or colitis, one important aspect of your treatment plan shouldn’t be ignored: a good support network.

This doesn’t just mean the immediate people in your life who understand your illness and know when and how to pitch in with family/home obligations. It also means reaching out to other people who are directly affected by Crohn’s or colitis, and sharing the burden of the journey with them.

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America has an active online community, as well as a website with a tremendous amount of resources and information for patients and their families.

The website NursingSchools.net has a list of forty recommended blogs and websites that offer information and support for Crohn’s/colitis patients and loved ones.

For women with any chronic illness, the Chronic Babes website provides an instant and active community that can provide much-needed support and comfort.

And the About.com website for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in general has some excellent resources on finding and working with online and offline support groups.

Finally, if you’re on Twitter, you can find Twitter chats related to health conditions by the hashtags listed here. Simply search Twitter for that hashtag, and you’ll find ongoing discussions about various health topics.

There are many avenues of support and information online for Crohn’s disease, IBD, and colitis. Give several a try and you’ll find one that fits your needs. Remember to read any rules about group participation before you participate in message boards or other chat forums. Then jump in and introduce yourself. The key to an effective support group, for any health condition, is active participation.