It’s good to talk

Clinical Advisor

From A Bigger Life

You don’t need to tell anybody if you don’t want to. However it might be much harder to keep that secret. You don’t need to tell everybody, just your close inner circle of family and friends, it will make it easier for you to relax and be yourself.

Just like with family and friends, who you tell and what you tell them is entirely up to you. However it is a good idea to tell your close work colleagues so that they can understand and support what you are going through.

You don’t have to tell a new partner or someone you have just met on your first date that you have a stoma. No one will be able to tell you have a stoma just by looking at you, it doesn’t take away from who you are, it is only a small part of you.

You might be interested in:

• Telling your child about your stoma
• Erin Goodwin – InsideOut Ostomy Life
• Ways to look after your mental health following ostomy surgery
• You’re not alone
• Not everyone copes with having an ostomy in the same way