Compartmentalization

Compartmentalization:  Compartmentalization is a 'divide and conquer' process for separating thoughts that will conflict with one another. This may happen when they are different beliefs or even when there are conflicting values.

• Connection: IBD patients may experience compartmentalization when they have contrasting inner thoughts about their illness. They might feel extremely discouraged and think to themselves, I should be strong. Some days they may feel energized and motivated, but other days they may feel distressed and discouraged.

Dissociation: Dissociation is a break in how your mind handles information. You may feel disconnected from your thoughts, feelings, memories, and surroundings. It can affect your sense of identity and your perception of time. The symptoms often go away on their own. It may take hours, days, or weeks. Common symptoms include: feeling disconnected, difficulty handling difficult emotions, sudden shifts in mood, difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, and identity confusion.

• Connection: During a really bad flare, patients may experience dissociation that comes with wanting to disconnect from pain or distressing thoughts. Mood shifts are very common.

Medicalization: process by which human conditions and problems come to be defined and treated as medical conditions, and thus become the subject of medical study, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment.

• Connection: Patients with IBD may feel like their identities are formed entirely around IBD and that their day-to-day lifestyles are evidence of that.​