Hypnosis for IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome can make life just about unbearable for people suffering from it.
The fact is, the psychological effects of this illness --like anxiety and fear of going out in public --can be downright crippling. And for the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients who deal with chronic constipation, the hard-to-control diarrhea caused by the prescription medication they often have to take can make venturing out a really hard thing to do in the first place (anxiety or no anxiety).
But researchers are getting closer to finding drug-free ways of treating this problem.
Recent research has shown that hypnotherapy can have a profound effect on fixing IBS problems.
In a study of 75 IBS patients (both men and women), participants received between five and seven half-hour hypnotherapy sessions over a three-month period. During the sessions, the patients were asked to put their hands on the place where they felt the most abdominal discomfort to create feelings of warmth and comfort in that area.
Then, the patients were told to imagine their guts as a river. Constipated patients were supposed to envision the river as freely flowing. Patients with diarrhea were supposed to imagine the river moving slowly.
When it was over, all the patients -- regardless of the form of their IBS -- reported reductions in pain and bloating. They also saw improvements in their emotional stability, energy levels, sleep, diet, anxiety levels, and in their overall physical health.
