My IBS Treatment Experience - Did CBT Work?
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- I was told I had IBS at a young age and have tried every treatment thrown at me. I spent a huge proportion of my teenage/young adult life terrfied I was going to embrass myself by either wetting myself or soiling myself. I took codeine every day for far too long and along the way had colonic irrigation, herbal remedies and any IBS treatment I stumbled across on the internet. Two things changed my life significantly - one was hypnosis (another video, another time) and one was CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which really helped with the psychological aspects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Over the years I developed a crippling phobia of being embrassed to the point I would stop doing certain things if I thought they increased my risk of "having an accident". Despite the fact logic told me that it happened once - when I was 11!!! I chose courses at University based on the volume of exams (I couldn't leave an exam room so couldn't concentrate!) and planned routes based on my knowledge of the any public toilet provision. If I knew I was visiting a place I would seek maps to plan routes to the nearest toilet and would miss so many trains and buses with concern that I was suddenly going to 'need' the toilet and not be able to wait. The physical symptoms of IBS became impossible to manage whilst my brain still focussed on the potential embarrassment I might face.
I actually attended CBT for a general anxiety disorder but in my prep for the first session I realised that it was my challenges associated with going to the toilet that caused me the most issues. Consequently I sought help focussed on toilet phobia stemming from my ongoing issues with IBS.
In short, it worked. The key for me was understanding our bodies instinctive reaction to panicking situations as well as routine exposure therapy.
I hope you find this video interesting and if you would like to hear about my experience of hypnosis for IBS - let me know!
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Alex’s bowel phobia resonates so much with me. Spent 20 years with this and anxiety influencing my life and also on Sertraline for 12 years (sort of helped, but bigger story around this ).
Real work was quitting alcohol and better diet plus facing my fears, thoughts and the feeling ls around this which has made the biggest difference.
Good luck all you have the power within to heal.
❤️
You got panic atticks with it too? I got panic attacks cause i let the problem interfear with my job. Scared to go to office and shit.
Was agoraphobic for a couple months. Now my world is growing again but i need a clean toilet close and get almost panicnattack and instant pee feeling when there is no quick exit.
You got more videos on this topic or more advice?
It’s something I constantly think about. I’m 95% better but just fall in to the trap every couple months or in situations that are new e.g. holidays, travel, new meeting venues etc.
The big thing is having a catalogue of techniques to “talk down” panic. I have a few things that work for me and just go through them if I feel the panic start. I’m also pretty diligent at preventative measures like - managing diet if I’m going to be in a new situation, route planning etc.
Have you tried CBT or Hypnosis for Irritable Bowel Syndrome? How did you find it?
Really interested to learn how other people developed phobias through the physical symptoms of IBS. Take Care Friends!
Alex did you find Sertraline helped constant toilet trips ? This is why I’ve been prescribed it I have bad IBS in the mornings I heard it can help
Very interesting and very relevant to me. I've had IBS for over 20 years and have learnt to cover my tracks. With me I'm fine till I start to go. Sometimes it will be normal other times will go, then again and usually a third time. By this time very loose. Same as yourself, trips out are dictated by where there are toilets on the way. My stomach can be completely normal no symptoms at all, then as I prepare to leave the house, it is like magic, I suddenly have to go to the bathroom. Then fear creeps in, am going to have to go again. I know it is a chemical reaction in my brain effecting my gut but I have no power to stop it. I am now thinking cbt.
Honestly, the mechanisms it gave me reduced my anxiety by 90%. I still have moment, don't get me wrong, but in the majority of situations I can stop the spiral of panic.
It’s same for me and I’m still a teen any advice for me
Blade have you looked at your diet. I find the big no nos are chocolate, caffeine and tomatoes. All of which I love. By cutting these out (I drink decaf coffee and tea) I find the situation much better. We are all different of course so what affects me won't necessarily affect you. Do you have something each day it could be the culprit. Hope you reach a solution soon it's a horrible condition which takes over your life. Good luck
I love this ! I had anxiety all my life and CBT pretty much saved me and made me realize that I CAN do anything I want and the only thing that's preventing is me .
But recently , I have developed another phobia. After having an "almost " an accident due to eating too much and too spicy in one day - I developed a fear of not making it to the washroom again . I keep looking for washrooms when I drive . I get stomach pain as soon as I start driving and it disappears whenever I get to the location. I experience such bad anxiety about GI symptoms and I KNOW I am causing them because I am SO hyperfocused on them .I am planning to start doing exposure. How do I expose myself to driving with people without panic that I will "sh" myself ? Your video is inspiring that I can beat this new phobia.
Unfortunately I think the exposure has to be real. So you probably have to drive places with people but with time at the end of the journey to think - what was a real feeling? what was my ego telling me was going to happen? what really did happen and what does that tell me about me ego?
Perhaps identify journeys of increasing length and use them as a programme of exposure.
If this is ongoing, perhaps revisiting CBT might actually be the best plan? You have proven it works and recognise the irrationality of your ego's predictions.
I honestly have NEVER thought about this and I'm glad I stumbled across this. This always happens to me when I start getting anxious and I've never connected the dots.