Page 108 - The Ultimate Guidebook for Teens with Food Allergies

chronic injuries from the accident on top of the day-to-day managing and coping with food allergies has given me more things to deal with.
I am not only living with life-threatening food allergies. I am also living with serious environmental allergies to dusts, moulds, and pets. I am also dealing with pain that does not go away. There are days where I am frustrated because it feels like I have so much on my shoulders. And I need to be careful at all times. I have to be “sharp” when reading labels, going over to someone’s house for dinner or even having a friend over who has different food allergies. It is hard to have a clear mind when there is so much to “juggle.” However, I have learned over the last few years how to be effective and stay on my game. When I am frustrated with all my health challenges, I remind myself that the feeling is only temporary and that I can deal with whatever comes my way. Having close friends and family you can talk to when you are frustrated is extremely important. They help you take a step back and look at the bigger picture. In moments when I am frustrated, my boyfriend gets me to relax and think about everything I have accomplished. He gets me to think about everything I have struggled with and overcome. And he reminds me that whatever I am frustrated with is yet another obstacle for me to overcome.
Quick Tip - Different people have different ways of dealing with frustration. If you’re feeling particularly frustrated, a few things you can try are writing it down, going for a jog, listening to music or talking it through with a friend. Figure out what works best for you.
What would you say? (Q&A)
Bailey, Giulia, and Tess
Have you ever felt really frustrated because of your allergies?
Bailey - There are times when I do feel very frustrated with my allergies. It can be frustrating when people don’t take them seriously or when people get annoyed with me for not being able to go to a certain restaurant (as if it’s my fault that I have allergies).
Giulia - Of course. Every time I can’t eat something that everyone else is eating, or my friends go to a restaurant I know I can’t eat at, I’m extremely frustrated. I am learning to deal with my frustrations as I get older. If my friends really want to go to a restaurant I can’t go to, I let them go and I make other plans.
Tess - After so much experience with frustration and disappointment in the past, the only time I feel that I am frustrated is when I am attempting to explain my allergy to someone who just ‘doesn’t get it’. I try my best to turn those types of situations into learning opportunities. Overall, I feel like the people in my life are so accepting of my allergy that I often don’t feel very different at all.