If you’re reading this, chances are you’re familiar with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), an often uncomfortable condition that causes abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits. For many, IBS can feel overwhelming, but understanding the mind-body connection can offer new ways to manage and even alleviate symptoms.
What Is IBS?
IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a range of symptoms such as bloating, cramping, fullness, and discomfort. Symptoms can be triggered by certain foods, simply the act of eating, or emotional stress. What’s particularly interesting is that research shows IBS is often related to hypersensitivity of the nerves within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
These nerves, distinct from those in the brain and spinal cord, play a key role in how we experience abdominal sensations. For those familiar with mind-body syndrome (MBS), Tension myositis syndrome (TMS) or neuroplastic pain, the connection between these hypersensitive nerves and pain patterns might already sound familiar.
IBS and the Mind-Body Connection
As someone who has personally experienced IBS, I believe there’s a strong correlation between IBS and mind-body syndrome. People with IBS often exhibit hypervigilance and hypersensitivity to sensations in the gut. Even minor twinges can spiral into anxiety about an impending flare-up. This hyperfocus can in turn amplify symptoms, much like how the brain’s focus on pain can worsen neuroplastic pain.
The Role of Fear and Hypervigilance in IBS
One key factor that links IBS with mind-body syndrome is fear. When we hyperfocus on physical sensations—worrying about every abdominal twitch—it can lead to a pain-fear cycle. This is especially true when there’s no clear structural damage found during medical exams. Many people with IBS, including myself, notice that while their gut feels uncomfortable or painful, medical tests often show no underlying issues.
This leads to a crucial insight: IBS could be considered a form of neuroplastic pain, where the mind’s focus on pain or discomfort creates a feedback loop, intensifying symptoms.
Research and Evidence: Gut-Brain Axis
Research supports this idea. Studies involving balloon distention tests in IBS patients have shown that many exhibit visceral hypersensitivity, experiencing discomfort at lower pressure levels than those without IBS. Furthermore, psychological factors like stress and anxiety may also influence how much pain people feel during these tests. This highlights the significant role of the gut-brain axis, which connects our emotional state to gut sensations.
The metaphysical language we use around our gut further solidifies this connection. Phrases like “gut instinct,” “butterflies in the stomach,” or “busting a gut” highlight the deeply emotional relationship we have with our digestive systems.
Personal Experience: From Hyperfocus to Healing
When I suffered from IBS, I often avoided activities like eating out or traveling because I associated these things with flare-ups. But this avoidance only heightened my anxiety and my hypervigilance. It wasn’t until I started to understand that fear of symptoms was contributing to my pain that I began to make meaningful changes.
A few things were critical for my recovery:
- Mindset shift: By understanding that my hyperfocus on every gut sensation was amplifying my symptoms, I could begin to change my behaviour.
- Breaking the pain-fear cycle: I used techniques from Alan Gordon’s book, The Way Out, to stop the cycle of anticipating pain and feeding my body fear.
- Somatic tracking: This mindfulness technique helped me reframe sensations as neutral, instead of dangerous, signalling safety to my nervous system.
- Hypnotherapy: As a hypnotherapist, I experienced firsthand the power of gut-directed hypnotherapy to calm the nervous system and address the mind-body connection.
Effective IBS Management Strategies
For those who suspect that their IBS might be tied to neuroplastic pain or mind-body syndrome, here are a few strategies that might help:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): This therapeutic approach emphasizes psychological flexibility, encouraging you to notice unhelpful thoughts while focusing on living a meaningful life.
- Somatic tracking: This practice can help you observe gut sensations in a non-judgmental way, reducing fear around discomfort.
- Daily affirmations of safety: Remind yourself that your body is safe, even if the sensations feel uncomfortable.
- Continue gentle movement: Exercise, especially walking or yoga, can signal safety to your body and help alleviate symptoms.
- Gut-directed hypnotherapy: This therapy can help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with IBS by calming the gut-brain axis.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve tried dietary changes, like removing FODMAPs, gluten and/or dairy, and still experience IBS symptoms, it may be time to consider the psychological and emotional aspects of your condition. Healing from IBS isn’t always about finding the perfect diet or treatment but often involves retraining the mind to interrupt the cycle of fear and pain.
If you’d like to learn more about how I help clients with IBS and other chronic conditions, please book a free consultation
