How to Treat IBS with CBT
Find a therapist that specializes in CBT., Schedule your sessions., Focus on your IBS related stress., Learn to focus less on your IBS., Identify your situational triggers., Find ways to relieve or reduce stress triggers., Do relaxation techniques...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a therapist that specializes in CBT.
Before you can undergo CBT, you need to find a therapist that specializes in CBT.
The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies has an online locator that will help you find a therapist in your area.
The locator will narrow your choices down by location, insurance provider, and specialty.
You cannot limit by their ability to help with IBS, but you can find ones in your area and then do more research about their ability to help you.If you can't find a therapist that specializes in IBS, the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders has a care locator that can help you find a doctor in your area that specializes in IBS.
She may be able to help you find CBT treatment. -
Step 2: Schedule your sessions.
When you work directly with a therapist or counselor for CBT, the treatment is made to be short term.
Most CBT treatments take place over 4 to 20 sessions with your therapist.Meet with your therapist and work out when each of these weekly sessions will be.
The length of your treatment will vary depending on your personal need and the methods of your therapist. , One of the major points of CBT for IBS is to help you identify your anxiety related to your IBS and combat the adverse effects it causes.
In your sessions, your doctor will help you pinpoint how the stress of IBS affects your everyday lifeand how you could modify negative behaviors and thinking patterns and replace them with more positive ones.
You can also learn about how to monitor stressful events to prevent IBS flare-ups, as well as how to address your specific stress triggers before they will aggravate your IBS symptoms.
You also might learn muscle relaxation exercises and how to modify your conditional response and thoughts that amplify your emotional stress which leads to worsening of IBS.
Your therapist will help you verbalize the anxiety you have, such as "I become anxious when I'm in a closed meeting at work because of my IBS." Or, "I worry about how my IBS may affect my interpersonal relationships."
The stress you put on yourself because of your IBS will actually make it worse.
Instead of letting stressful situations intensify your IBS symptoms, your therapist will use CBT to help you change your patterns of behavior and thought processes to a more positive, affirming outlook.For example, if you worry about how your friends or significant others will react to you IBS, your therapist will help you see that it is a normal problem that your loved ones will understand.
You will learn to see that these interpersonal relationships are stronger than your disease and you don't have to spend all of your time with them upset. , Once you deal with the stress directly related to your IBS, you need to look into what situations in your every day like cause you stress.
External stress often causes IBS symptoms to worsen, so learning to identify these situations will help you change you behavior.
These can be hard to identify at first, so your therapist may ask you to keep a diary of your IBS flare ups, where you list the activities that happened directly before and after your flare up., Once you identify stress patterns in relation to your IBS, your therapist will help you change your perception of these events, giving you more positive ways to think about stressful situations.
This will help lessen your symptoms because your body will not go into flight or fight mode in order to deal with these situations.Instead, you will find healthier ways to deal with these situations.For example, if you normally get really upset about morning traffic, your therapist may help you realize that the traffic is an inevitable occurrence that you cannot change, therefore you should not stress about it.
If you have presentations at work that causes IBS flare ups, he may help you reframe your thinking to "I am a competent individual who is ready for this presentation.
I will do my best and have no reason to stress." If you are having trouble doing this, your therapist will help you problem solve to find that best ways to deal with these situations. , During stressful situations, your IBS flares up partially because your body is too tense.
In order to help you relax and calm your body down, your therapist may teach your breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation to help combat these symptoms.
These are techniques that help your body muscles relax, which will calm your bowel muscles to reduce flare ups., In order to ensure that the CBT will help you after your sessions end, your therapist will help you restructure your overall thought patterns to more positive, stress free patterns.
You will learn to focus on positive, uplifting ideas related to your daily life and to stressful situations instead of giving in to your anxiety.
This takes a little more effort on your part, since you will need to continue these modes of thinking after your CBT is over. -
Step 3: Focus on your IBS related stress.
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Step 4: Learn to focus less on your IBS.
-
Step 5: Identify your situational triggers.
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Step 6: Find ways to relieve or reduce stress triggers.
-
Step 7: Do relaxation techniques.
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Step 8: Restructure your thoughts.
Detailed Guide
Before you can undergo CBT, you need to find a therapist that specializes in CBT.
The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies has an online locator that will help you find a therapist in your area.
The locator will narrow your choices down by location, insurance provider, and specialty.
You cannot limit by their ability to help with IBS, but you can find ones in your area and then do more research about their ability to help you.If you can't find a therapist that specializes in IBS, the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders has a care locator that can help you find a doctor in your area that specializes in IBS.
She may be able to help you find CBT treatment.
When you work directly with a therapist or counselor for CBT, the treatment is made to be short term.
Most CBT treatments take place over 4 to 20 sessions with your therapist.Meet with your therapist and work out when each of these weekly sessions will be.
The length of your treatment will vary depending on your personal need and the methods of your therapist. , One of the major points of CBT for IBS is to help you identify your anxiety related to your IBS and combat the adverse effects it causes.
In your sessions, your doctor will help you pinpoint how the stress of IBS affects your everyday lifeand how you could modify negative behaviors and thinking patterns and replace them with more positive ones.
You can also learn about how to monitor stressful events to prevent IBS flare-ups, as well as how to address your specific stress triggers before they will aggravate your IBS symptoms.
You also might learn muscle relaxation exercises and how to modify your conditional response and thoughts that amplify your emotional stress which leads to worsening of IBS.
Your therapist will help you verbalize the anxiety you have, such as "I become anxious when I'm in a closed meeting at work because of my IBS." Or, "I worry about how my IBS may affect my interpersonal relationships."
The stress you put on yourself because of your IBS will actually make it worse.
Instead of letting stressful situations intensify your IBS symptoms, your therapist will use CBT to help you change your patterns of behavior and thought processes to a more positive, affirming outlook.For example, if you worry about how your friends or significant others will react to you IBS, your therapist will help you see that it is a normal problem that your loved ones will understand.
You will learn to see that these interpersonal relationships are stronger than your disease and you don't have to spend all of your time with them upset. , Once you deal with the stress directly related to your IBS, you need to look into what situations in your every day like cause you stress.
External stress often causes IBS symptoms to worsen, so learning to identify these situations will help you change you behavior.
These can be hard to identify at first, so your therapist may ask you to keep a diary of your IBS flare ups, where you list the activities that happened directly before and after your flare up., Once you identify stress patterns in relation to your IBS, your therapist will help you change your perception of these events, giving you more positive ways to think about stressful situations.
This will help lessen your symptoms because your body will not go into flight or fight mode in order to deal with these situations.Instead, you will find healthier ways to deal with these situations.For example, if you normally get really upset about morning traffic, your therapist may help you realize that the traffic is an inevitable occurrence that you cannot change, therefore you should not stress about it.
If you have presentations at work that causes IBS flare ups, he may help you reframe your thinking to "I am a competent individual who is ready for this presentation.
I will do my best and have no reason to stress." If you are having trouble doing this, your therapist will help you problem solve to find that best ways to deal with these situations. , During stressful situations, your IBS flares up partially because your body is too tense.
In order to help you relax and calm your body down, your therapist may teach your breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation to help combat these symptoms.
These are techniques that help your body muscles relax, which will calm your bowel muscles to reduce flare ups., In order to ensure that the CBT will help you after your sessions end, your therapist will help you restructure your overall thought patterns to more positive, stress free patterns.
You will learn to focus on positive, uplifting ideas related to your daily life and to stressful situations instead of giving in to your anxiety.
This takes a little more effort on your part, since you will need to continue these modes of thinking after your CBT is over.
About the Author
Alexis Rivera
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Alexis Rivera brings 1 years of hands-on experience to every article. Alexis believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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