The brain-gut connection is an accepted fact in medicine. According to the Loyola University Medical Center, because of this close connection, the gut is nicknamed the “second brain.” You can treat irritable bowel syndrome with hypnosis because our digestive system is tied to our emotions. How you feel can change the way the body reacts.
Stress and the Digestive System
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as IBS, is an illness affecting the large intestines. Many of the signs and symptoms of IBS can appear a little differently in each person. The most common symptoms are:
Pain or swelling in the abdomen that typically gets better after using the restroom.
Mucus in the stool.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Symptoms of IBS can get better or worse depending on your stress levels. The true cause of IBS remains unknown. However, stress chemicals can cause muscle spasms in the intestines, causing pain. Stress may also cause inflammation, making it hard for the body to digest food the way it normally would. Inflammation also causes loose stools and discomfort.
Because stress sends out chemicals that make IBS worse, managing stress is one of the main treatments for IBS. Hypnosis is an excellent way to manage stress because it gets right to the source of where it starts — the mind.
What the Research Shows
It’s well known that hypnosis can be used to control anxiety, phobias, and strong emotions. Because of this, hypnosis is also an excellent treatment for IBS. Research shows that hypnotherapy for IBS works to reduce IBS symptoms. In a study of 78 people, those who used hypnosis for IBS experienced fewer symptoms even 6 months after completing hypnosis. Another study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found hypnotic relaxation to work well in managing digestive issues.
Hypnosis gets to the heart of treating IBS through the subconscious. The subconscious is where most of our emotions start. Work and family relationships can cause stress and anxiety, which make IBS symptoms worse by releasing chemicals into the digestive system.
If you don’t manage stress, IBS symptoms can become more serious over time and sap your body’s energy levels. You might find yourself running to the restroom more often. IBS can cause embarrassing symptoms. This shame might make you start to avoid social situations. If you don’t find ways to manage your emotions, IBS can affect your quality of life. It’s vital that people with IBS learn to deal with stress.
Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Hypnosis
Most of our emotions are triggered by the subconscious. Our subconscious holds thought patterns and makes us behave in ways we may not be aware of. With gut-directed hypnotherapy, a certified hypnotist can access your subconscious to help control your IBS symptoms.
Hypnotherapy for IBS, performed by a certified hypnotist, can change the way you manage emotions and stressful situations. First, a hypnotist will place you in a very relaxed state. Although you’re always alert and aware, the hypnotist can access your subconscious. Together, you can locate the events and memories that set off your stress. A hypnotherapist reframes how your subconscious sees these memories. Through reframing, you can change how your mind and body reacts to them.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy can also train your mind to calm your body down during times of stress. Visual imagery and suggestions, used during hypnosis, allows your subconscious to follow calmer and more positive ways to deal with stressful situations. Rather than sending out harmful stress chemicals, your subconscious can be programmed to use positive thought patterns and coping skills. Less stress can mean better health overall and fewer IBS symptoms.
Hypnosis and a Healthier Gut
How you feel is more than just your emotions. Your emotions go to affect the rest of your body, particularly the digestive system. If you struggle with digestive issues, you can treat irritable bowel syndrome with hypnosis.