Anxiety and Irritable Bowel Syndrome have a huge overlap. People who suffer from either or both anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome have altered stress pathways between the body and brain, and an altered HPA axis (which is simply put, the brain-to-body pathway that leads to the body making more stress hormone, CORTISOL)
Psychological Treatments for IBS: CBT for IBS
For people who suffer from both IBS and Anxiety, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a great treatment as a primary therapy or as part of an Holistic IBS program.
What is CBT and How can it work for IBS?
CBT is a ‘many-layered’ approach to treating anxiety and IBS. It is an example of a complementary treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, in that is not a drug-based approach, but uses our ability to change processes in the body by changing our behaviours and using our thoughts and emotions to create changes that last in the body and in the gut. CBT as an IBS treatment works in the following ways:
- Pinpointing and then changing DISTORED BELIEFS and THOUGHT PATTERNS that are causing ANXIETY or IBS SYMPTOMS. It is proven that our THOUGHTS and BELIEFS affect our EMOTIONS, OUR BODY FUNCTIONS and our ACTIONS!
- Proven problem-solving strategies and skills
- Social Environment skills
Pinpointing and changing DISTORTED INFORMATION in the BRAIN can relieve specific IBS Symptoms of ABDOMEN (or belly) PAIN and DISCOMFORT.
CBT is an example of how you can learn to control your mind/brain to change what’s going on in your body. My IBS program incorporates CBT techniques in an easy to follow way. Once you become practiced at controlling your mind and working with your thoughts and emotions, you will start to BELIEVE that you WILL get better and GAIN CONTROL back over your IBS symptoms!