Mind Over Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Some people, after trying drugs and changing their diets, see little to no improvement in their IBS symptoms. For these folks, there are some interesting new treatments being tested, and both have to do with manipulating how we think.
The two approaches are somewhat similar. One is cognitive behavioral therapy, which analyzes and retrains your everyday thoughts and behaviors. The other is hypnosis, which aims to treat problems through the power of suggestion.
As I said: interesting. Worth keeping an eye on, as these types of treatments have experienced some successes in other areas. Obviously, if you choose to pursue these methods, I am sure your outcome will be highly influenced by keeping an open mind.
One of my favorite blogs to read is by Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert. He often talks about his own experiences with hypnosis, and does a very good job of explaining it in a down-to-earth way to set people’s expectations properly. If you are interested in learning more about it, I recommend reading one of his posts on the subject.
Source: Healthcentral.com (external links will open in a new window)
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March 3rd, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Now that is interesting, but one wonders how hypnosis or positive thinking could help IBS. Then, on the other hand, the mind is a powerful instrument and I have heard of many occasions of how a positive outlook has improved the quality of life even in cancer patients.
One example is relatives on my wife’s side. A husband and wife both developed cancer with two completely different outlooks. He was sure that he was going to die and went quickly whereas she on the other hand decided to live life to the fullest and lived for several more years.
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March 3rd, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Thanks for visiting!
I have also heard anecdotes about how powerful a tool your mindset can be. A positive outlook makes a huge amount of difference. Too many people are self-defeating! So based on that, I’d think hypnosis could at least help ease the symptoms of IBS, if not cure it entirely.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:15 am
While I can’t speak to hypnosis as a solution, there is a great list of natural approaches to dealing with IBS at the Dietary Supplement Information Bureau’s site.