Why did it start?
You have certainly asked the question, “Why do I have IBS?” It is a fair question. For a long time you had a normal digestive system. If you are like most people you probably never thought much about the digestive system, FODMAP foods, and bowel movement. And now you have what appears to be a chronic, mysterious, incurable condition that haunts your life. What happened?
Shock to the system
Based on case studies, IBS appears to start because of some shock to the digestive system or more generally to the gut-brain axis. The gut and the brain are very closely associated and communicate constantly through nerve pathways and hormones. The brain makes tweaks to the system based on information it receives from the gut and other senses. A major event can disrupt that delicate feedback system, and move it into a new state. If that state lasts too long, the brain can assume that this is the new equilibrium. The brain might then start to actively work to maintain the new, poorly adjusted system. With the brain working to maintain IBS, it is no wonder that IBS seems to resist so many drugs and diet changes.
What kind of shock?
What kind of events could cause this change to happen? An illness or major food poisoning event could certainly throw the system out of equilibrium. For many people, that is how their IBS began. By the time the disease faded, the new neuro-circuitry had been set up, and it just continued to run. For others, the shock was caused by a traumatic situation or a period of stress or emotional disturbance.
Fight or flight (or freeze)
In times of danger, the brain diverts many of the body’s resources to the arms and legs, maximizes energy and prepares you to run or fight. The heart beats faster and your breathe faster and more shallowly. A system called the sympathetic nervous system takes over. In those times of danger, the digestive system is mostly shut down, and normal activity ceases. The gut muscles may tighten as your brain prepares for the battle. When the danger is passed, the parasympathetic nervous system should take over and allow the body to rest and digest.
The brain decides what is dangerous
The problem is that our brains react the same way to perceived danger as real danger. A traumatic situation can cause a person to keep replaying it in their mind. Stress sends danger signals to the brain, but there is no battle to fight and no creature to run away from. So the system stays on high alert for long periods of time. This means that the gut-brain axis gets disrupted for long periods. If you continually experience stressful situations, the brain learns to flip into the fight or flight mode very quickly and it becomes the new normal. Which means that the digestive system is constantly being shut down and otherwise disturbed.
When the gut-brain communication is disturbed for long periods, you experience symptoms of IBS. The wrong messages may be sent. Or the right messages may be sent but are misinterpreted as bad, when they are actually normal. This can cause gut pain or issues with your bowel movements.
The Vicious Cycle
Symptoms like cramping, bloating, and abdominal pain are bad enough on their own but can lead to worry, stress, and anxiety. Often people with IBS may worry about having a flare-up, or are anxious about the symptoms of a flare-up. This stress in itself lets the brain know that you are in danger and the brain keeps switching to the sympathetic fight or flight system. Which further disturbs the gut-brain communication system and your digestion, which adds more symptoms, and so on, and so on.
What is the solution?
Fortunately, there is a way to get out of this vicious cycle and return to health. Gut directed hypnotherapy engages the parasympathetic nervous system, reduces your stress, and can break the IBS/Anxiety loop. We know that by actively relaxing and engaging the parasympathetic nervous system during hypnotherapy, we give the body a break from the fight or flight mode, and move the gut-brain axis back into balance. Many people report improved levels of stress, anxiety, and depression following hypnosis. They also report general feelings of well-being and the ability to sleep better.
What you can do on your own
Although being hypnotized by a professional is a plus, there are many things you can do on your own to change you gut-brain communication network, including self-hypnosis and many relaxation techniques. These will be covered in other posts, but the first thing you need to know is that you can get better. IBS need not be a permanent condition for you. Many, many people have left IBS behind them once they know they have the power to calm their mind and change the brain. This has been shown in numerous scientific studies, and the results are big and long-lasting. However your IBS started, the tools are available to return you to health.