December 12, 2025 “Holding Hope in the Healing Journey!”

I hope that wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you—right where you are.

Sometimes I step away from my usual reflections or daily devotionals to share an update on my mental health affects my physical health.

Yesterday, I traveled to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for appointments with my psychiatrist and gastroenterologist. I struggle with severe constipation, bloating, and pain in my abdomen.

Some of the medication I take for anxiety and depression slows down the movement in my digestive tract. This means food moves very slowly through my colon. The muscles can even become paralyzed, which keeps waste from moving as it should. My doctors and I will slowly decrease one of my mental health medications, quetiapine, to see if this helps my constipation.

I feel unsure about this. I want to keep the progress I’ve made with my mental health. In the past, when I decreased medication, my symptoms came back. Twice in my life, I fell into very dark and gloomy places, and it took months to recover.

My gastroenterologist also shared that I have a pelvic floor disorder. This means I have trouble relaxing the muscles in my colon enough for waste to move smoothly. I received this same diagnosis six years ago, and since then, my constipation has only gotten worse. I left the appointment feeling disappointed because the treatment plan is the same as before. I worry that if we repeat what we’ve already done, nothing will change.

There is one new twist, though. Both doctors want me to see a psychologist who specializes in gastroenterology and biofeedback. Research continues to learn more about the connection between mental and physical health.

My psychiatrist believes that if we can stabilize my gut, I may not need as much medication for my mental health symptoms. It’s hard not to feel a little cynical as I try to take all of this in.

Still, I pray this trend can be reversed with the changes to my treatment plan. I will continue to share how things unfold in future posts. For now, your prayers, compassion, and care mean more than I can say. I will keep each of you in my daily prayers as well.

Remember, Recovery is here, in this moment.
Embrace it.