I’ve just read an article written by Henry Bodkin of The Telegraph about a study regarding the treatment of IBS using Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT). My first reaction was to laugh at the ignorance contained within the article which is something that is largely a UK problem (the ignorance, not the laughing!). The article says that the causes of IBS are unknown! Maybe to someone not educated on the subject. However, this is a common misconception amongst us Brits. We are told this by our GP’s and accept it without hesitation. For those of you who know my story, you will know that I simply couldn’t accept it and I dedicated my time to finding answers, my own recovery and eventually helping others.
The heading reads ‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome is ‘psychological’ new study shows’
Here are two extracts:
‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is partly psychological and can be controlled better through mental training than with mainstream drugs, a new trial shows’.
‘The new trial, conducted by Southampton and King’s College London universities, suggest that the condition is significantly psychological in origin’.
So the same article says IBS ‘IS PSYCHOLOGICAL’, ‘PARTLY PSYCHOLOGICAL’ and ‘SIGNIFICANTLY PSYCHOLOGICAL’.
Which one is it? The reason I’m highlighting this is that it forms part of the problem for IBS sufferers. When trying to find information about the condition it is very contradictory and here in the same article we have three varying degrees of measure. Which one do you act on? ‘Partly’ suggests its not entirely the cause but more of a contributor and ‘Significantly’ suggests its a way forward.
What the article should have reported is out of the 20% of the population with IBS symptoms a high proportion have other stomach related conditions that are yet to be diagnosed. Conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are very serious and will be tested for in the first instance. Other poorly researched conditions such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth aren’t routinely tested for and have the same symptoms of IBS. Even a course of antibiotics will give you the same symptoms of IBS but that is a whole subject in itself and one I will be writing about soon.
So what does all of this have to do with the CBT article?
Well one particular condition that can have the same affect as IBS is anxiety! An anxiety attack can put our primal instinct into ‘fight or flight’ mode and in the case of ‘flight’ the body flushes water into the bowel in readiness for an urgent emptying; to enable us to carry less weight and inevitably escape quicker. Otherwise known as urgent diarrhoea, so it’s not surprising it gets diagnosed as IBS.
The research that Southampton and Kings College London Universities have carried is invaluable to people suffering with the anxiety response and I can see how CBT will significantly improve their symptoms and ultimately better their lives. Again anxiety is a debilitating problem that so many suffer from day to day so its comforting to know there are institutes out there who are looking for solutions.
IBS in itself breeds anxiety. Your neural pathways soon learn that certain feelings mean certain outcomes and if you’re faced with an urgent trip to the toilet regardless of where you may be well….who wouldn’t be anxious about that!
That said, I feel that the CBT therapy for IBS will take care of the anxiety suffered as part of the symptoms but it will not cure IBS unless the urgent diarrhoea is caused by a pure anxiety response; in which case the condition should be diagnosed as anxiety and not IBS.
For more information on Anxiety recovery go to https://www.charles-linden.com Charles Linden is a world leading authority on all anxiety matters. I have first hand experience of his anxiety recovery programme, it has transformed the lives of people close to me. Charles is very aware of the urgent diarrhoea link to anxiety and he can help with that too.
For those who have had every other condition ruled out and are left with IBS as a diagnosis my website www.thebumdiaries.blog has all the information needed to manage IBS through a Low FODMAP diet. Also, lots of information on the causes of IBS, which despite the Guardian article, are known and are treatable through diet without the use of any medication.
Read the article here: