by Jana Čarnohorski, Croatia
We’ve all been there: you’re sick of always searching for something gluten-free to eat; sick of not being able to eat wherever you want; or, worst of all, sick of feeling left out on all dinners and parties because you can’t eat along with everyone else. As much as we love our non-celiac friends, they will never fully understand all of the sacrifices we made when we got diagnosed and what it means to be a celiac.
In the midst of “post-diagnosis depression”, believe me when I say celiac friendships are the best cure possible. Having someone who shares your troubles and understands your worries can certainly help you assimilate to your new way of life. But a question still remains: where to find all other celiacs?
Well, my first and best advice is to join your local celiac association. The very point of celiac associations is to bring celiacs together, which makes it your perfect first stop for finding a celiac friend. A little Google search or consultation with your doctor should immediately direct you towards your local organization which is sure to provide much-needed social and mental support.
If there are no celiac associations nearby, don’t fret! A great advantage of the digital world that we live in is that there are plenty of opportunities to meet people online via social media. And this is where we, the CYE, can help! Check out our Facebook group with more that 3,000 members from all around the world sharing their stories and tips and just waiting to meet new celiacs.
Finally, if you’re looking to meet celiacs from other countries in person, you’ll love CYE’s annual summer camp! Every year, our CYE summer camp team works hard to organize a weeklong, fully gluten-free camp hosting celiacs from all around the world. Each year, we meet in a new country where the local team plans many fun activities for exploring local culture and (of course) cuisine! This is a must-have experience for all young celiacs, so look out for the news for our next summer camp on our social media.
See, that doesn’t look so hard. Although getting celiac may be turbulent and difficult at times, do not forget you’re not in this alone! There are plenty other young celiacs going through the same thing, ready to help you on your celiac journey!