Ah, the carefree 20s. The years marked with self-discovery, the first taste of independence, and following one’s dreams. However, this age period is also particularly prone to developing autoimmune diseases, life-long, chronic illnesses that crop up in otherwise healthy young adults in their 20s.
Here are the top auto-immune conditions for 20-somethings…
1. Crohn’s Disease
This agonizing, chronic inflammatory bowel disease (or IBD) strikes the entire digestive tract with an embarrassing and painful set of symptoms (i.e., bloating, stomach pain, loose stool, and explosive diarrhea), which indicate a flare-up. Diagnosis is common in the late teens to early 30s (targeting 20-somethings) striking suddenly with little reason and interrupting life, and then going back into remission before flaring up again throughout a lifetime.
2. Graves Disease
Graves disease causes the thyroid to overproduce thyroid hormone, causing hyperthyroidism in which the body’s immune system incorrectly begins to attack otherwise healthy tissue. The symptoms of graves include muscle weakness and deterioration as well as weight loss (due to overactive metabolism), and also jitters, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, tremors, and increased or erratic heart rate.
JiBJhoY / Shutterstock3. Type 1 Diabetes
A condition that used to be diagnosed primarily during childhood, Type 1 Diabetes is now more likely to hit individuals in the mid-20s. This autoimmune disease causes issues metabolizing glucose, resulting in a need for insulin injections for the remainder of life.
4. Rheumatoid Arthritis
This autoimmune condition causes chronic pain and inflammation to joints and organs. Often striking between the ages of 25 to 40, roughly 1.5 million people in the Americans suffer with Rheumatoid Arthritis (or RA).
5. Multiple Sclerosis
This neurological disease targets the central nervous system and is often first diagnosed in the 20s. Painful symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (or MS) cause weakness, tingling and numbness; tremors, vision issues, and depression.
6. Lupus
Plaguing roughly 5 million people around the globe, over 90-percent of lupus patients are females between the ages of 15 to 40 (majority of diagnoses are made in the 20s). Lupus presents in different types, causing relapsing joint pain and weakness, sun hypersensitivity, and even kidney failure.
7. Celiac Disease
Many sufferers of this autoimmune disorder first notice that something is wrong in their 20s. This is when digestive symptoms of the disease often strike, leading to uncomfortable bloating, gas, stomach cramps, brain fog, mouth and gum sores, hives, and diarrhea/constipation.
8. Psoriasis
Psoriasis comes in many types, 5 actually, but this autoimmune condition is characterized by dry, red, scaly skin patches that begin to appear in the late teens and 20s.
