It’s been over 2 decades since 37-year-old Joshua Denton was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.
Controlling the physical symptoms of comorbidities, such as inflammatory bowel disease, have been possible, but he was surprised when depression and anxiety set in.
“You’re dealing with what I call the anxiety of the unknown. What does this mean?” said Mr. Denton, who serves as a patient advocate with Color of Crohn’s & Chronic Illness, a nonprofit group aimed at improving quality of life for racial-ethnic minorities. “When you understand that it’s autoimmune that is chronic and incurable, you’re wondering, ‘Am I going to have a chance to get better in terms of my quality-of-life? Is it going to get worse?’ It indirectly builds this level of anxiety.”