Supporting a patient to identify their feelings or when they're not coping and seek help, build resilience and manage their emotional well-being is as important as treating bowel inflammation. It might be helpful to think about positive mental health as a sign that a person's treatment is working. You may want to consider:
- Compassionate language and active listening.
- Encouraging the person to talk about their condition, especially with friends and family.
- Signposting to a national patient organisation or local group to talk to someone or meet others with the condition.
- Referring to mental health services or local emotional well-being programmes.
- Facilitating open days where patients can meet and talk.
- Social prescribing a local activity to reduce their loneliness or isolation (this request may need to be made via primary care services).
- Exploring how their continence issues could be better managed or giving them a can't wait card to support them getting out more.
- Referring to a gynaecologist, biofeedback nurse, psychosexual therapist or counselling for support with intimacy or sexual function issues.