IBS Hypnotherapy

IBS Hypnosis is as effective for children with IBS as it is for adults

Children as well as adults can suffer with IBS and when they do, it significantly reduces the quality of life in their lives. Fortunately, hypnotherapy can help children as well as adults gain relief from their IBS symptoms – and there is research to prove it.

A ground breaking piece of research (1) conducted in 2007 by a team at Amsterdam Children's Hospital opened the door for hypnosis to become a standard treatment for children with IBS.

The research team designed an elegant research project to see whether hypnosis and hypnotherapy were as effective in children (ages 8 - 18) with IBS as in adults. They began with 53 children diagnosed with severe long-term Functional Abdominal Pain (FAP) or FAP with IBS, and divided them randomly into two groups.

Both groups received treatment with fibre and medicines as required. Both groups were given reassurance, and educated about the role of stress in causing FAP and IBS. Both groups had discussions about the emotional and other triggers of IBS. The only difference is that the experimental group received six, half-hour sessions of what the authors called "gut-directed hypnotherapy" while the control group received six, half-hour sessions of supportive counselling over 3 months.

The results of this experiment were astounding. Both groups of children got significantly better. But, the hypnotherapy group did considerably better than the standard treatment group in every single category.

At the end of a twelve month period physicians evaluated the medical condition of the children in each group. 96% of the hypnotherapy group were assessed as either totally improved or symptom free compared to 54% for the control group.

Thanks to this pioneering study by the team at the Amsterdam Children's Hospital, we know that "gut directed hypnotherapy" is a highly effective treatment for FAP/IBS in children that can lead to rapid and complete resolution or amelioration of the symptoms.

Note: It’s absolutely essential to look at hypnosis as a tool to be used ONLY after a child has a full medical evaluation because, the symptoms of IBS can also be caused by a number of serious medical conditions such as infections and cancers.

1.     Research study: Vlieger AM, Menko-Frankenhuis C, Wolfkamp SC, et al. Hypnotherapy for children with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Gastroenterology 2007;133(3):1430-143 Idoi:10.1053/j .gastro.2007.08.072.

Source for this blog: Hypnosis for Children with IBS and Tummy , Chapter 3, Scientific Research on Hypnosis and IBS (2016) by Robert Hughes

If you want to know more about how I can help you manage your Irritable Bowel Syndrome using hypnosis and other psychological techniques, please do get in touch today!

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Visualising a healthier you

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As a clinical hypnotherapist helping people to use the power of their imagination to become symptom free is a big part of my Hypno4IBS programme.

The use of the imagination (also called visualisation) to aid personal change and success is common amongst top performers in business, sports and the arts. Visualisation works because our brain/body (aka subconscious mind) doesn’t differentiate between real and imagined information. It responds to all information in the same way.

Creating the healthier future you

One of the keys to creating the future you desire using your imagination is to engage as many senses as you can. The more real and vivid you can make the future scenario the more effective the desired visualisation will be.

Practice daily visualisations

I recommend to my clients that they practice daily visualisations. Here’s an example of a simple visualisation, tailored for constipation or diarrhoea, that you can begin practicing today.

If you are experiencing Constipation:

1.      Find a safe, quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for the period of your visualisation.

2.      Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes.

3.      Take 3 long slow deep breaths.

4.      Imagine you are descending a set of 10 steps.

5.      Tell yourself that with each step you descend you are becoming more and more relaxed.

6.      Once you get to the bottom of the steps imagine you a in a special place where change is possible.

7.      Now imagine your gut is a river, with a dam stretching across it, blocking its flow.

8.      Now imagine the dam bursting, and floating away, bit by bit, little by little down the river. Hear the sounds of the dam bursting, of the water releasing. See the colours of the dam, the water.

9.      Now imagine the river flowing gently and peacefully through the beautiful country side. Hear the sounds of the water gently flowing, notice what else you can hear, perhaps birds, the breeze. What can you smell, the perfume of flowers growing beside the river, mown grass in the fields beyond.

10.   Imagine, a healthier, more relaxed you, free from constipation. See this future, healthier you, free of constipation. What are you doing? What do you look like?

11.   Imagine stepping into the body and mind of this future you and notice how it feels to be this healthier you. What is this healthier you saying to yourself? Notice how your digestive system feels now it’s working perfectly. Imagine taking a snapshot of this like you’re creating a blueprint of this healthier you free of IBS symptoms.

12.   Finally, imagine coming back up those steps you initially descended and as you do tell yourself that the healthier you blueprint is becoming a part of who you are with every step you take so that by the time you reach the top step it is fully embedded in your being.

13.   When you are ready open your eyes, alert and fully aware of the room around you.

If you are experiencing Diarrhoea

1.      Find a safe, quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for the period of your visualisation.

2.      Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes.

3.      Take 3 long slow deep breaths.

4.      Imagine you are descending a set of 10 steps.

5.      Tell yourself that with each step you descend you are becoming more and more relaxed.

6.      Once you get to the bottom of the steps imagine you a in a special place where change is possible.

7.      Imagine your gut is a fast flowing river. Notice the loud roar of the water as it gushes along.

8.      Now imagine the water gradually slowing down.

9.      Imagine the river flowing slowly and gently through beautiful countryside.

10.   Now imagine a healthier, more relaxed you, free from diarrhoea. See this future, healthier you, free of diarrhoea. What are you doing? What do you look like?

11.   Imagine stepping into the body and mind of this future you and notice how it feels to be this healthier you. What is this healthier you saying to yourself? Notice how your digestive system feels now it’s working perfectly. Imagine taking a snapshot of this like you’re creating a blueprint of this healthier you free of IBS symptoms.

12.   Finally, imagine coming back up those steps you initially descended and as you do tell yourself that the healthier you blueprint is becoming a part of who you are with every step you take so that by the time you reach the top step it is fully embedded in your being.

13.   When you are ready open your eyes, alert and fully aware of the room around you.

The more you practice these visualisations the more positive impact they will have.

 If you want to know more about how I can help you manage your Irritable Bowel Syndrome using hypnosis and other psychological techniques, please do get in touch today!

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The Gut Brain and its role in IBS

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The field of neuroscience has discovered that in addition to our head (cephalic) brain, we have complex and functional brains in both our heart and gut. Called the cardiac and enteric brains respectively, scientific evidence is emerging that these neural networks exhibit intelligence and wisdom.

These three brains are all part of one nervous system and are in constant communication, and interact, with each other for our optimal functioning. We also have complex neural networks that communicate with these three brains.

The gut- heart – head -communication cycle

Head Gut Heart.png

Research suggests that IBS could be the manifestation of a problem within our gut- heart - head - communication cycle. Poorly coordinated signals between the head brain and the gut brain can cause our body to overreact to changes that normally occur in the digestive process, resulting in pain, diarrhoea or constipation.

Do we really have 3 brains?

What constitutes a brain?

  • Large numbers of neurons and ganglia, including sensory neurons and motor neurons

  • Neural cells with inter-neurons; neurons interconnecting with other neurons

  • Support cells and components such as glial cells, astrocytes, proteins, etc.

  • Functional attributes: perceiving/assimilating information, processing information, memory storage and access

  • Able to mediate complex reflexes via an intrinsic nervous system (i.e. it doesn't need the head brain to direct it, it functions even in the complete absence of the head brain)

  • A chemical warehouse of neurotransmitters (those found in the head brain are also found in the gut and heart brains)

[Source: mBraining Chapter 1 – Neuroscience meets ancient wisdom by G Soosalu and M Oka (2012)]

Each of our three brains has a particular role

Each brain has a particular role.

The head – our intellectual brain - thinking, problem solving, creative, rational, logical. We ‘think things through’ and ‘use our head.’

The heart – our emotional brain. We ‘follow our heart’s desires’. We are ‘true to our heart.’ We know when our ‘heart’s not in it,’ or that we have ‘a broken heart.’

The gut – our intuitive/instinctive brain. We ‘follow our gut’ and rely on our ‘gut instincts’. We ‘trust our gut.’ Often we are unable to ‘swallow’ or ‘digest the facts.’ We get ‘butterflies in the stomach.’

Let’s take a closer look at the Gut Brain

The gut (enteric) brain was discovered just over 100 years ago, but is ancient in evolutionary terms and predates the head brain and central nervous system.

Back when evolution was at the stage of complexity of sea cucumbers and worms, organisms only had a neural processing system of an enteric brain. This intelligence was used to detect threats and food in the environment and move away from danger and towards food.

The human gut brain contains over 500 million neurons located in the sheaths of tissue lining the oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, colon and bowel. It has the equivalent size and complexity of something like a cat's brain. It sends and receives nerve signals throughout the chest and torso and innervates organs as diverse as the pancreas, lungs, diaphragm and liver.

Of the 500 million neurons in the gut, more than 100 million are located in the small intestine, roughly the same number as in our spinal cord. Once you add in the nerve cells in the oesophagus, stomach and large intestine and the total number of nerve cells exceeds those in the spinal cord.

The enteric nervous system is also a vast chemical factory within which is found every one of the classes of neurotransmitter found in the head brain. Neurotransmitters are the signals brain cells use to communicate with each other and with the cells under their control. Major neurotransmitters found in the enteric brain include serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norepinehrine and nitric oxide. Interestingly, over 95 percent of the serotonin used throughout the body and brain is made in the gut. Brain peptides and endorphins have also been found in the gut.

Research has shown that more than 80 percent of our immune cells are located in the gut, and the gut brain is intimately involved in managing immune function. Some people with IBS have an increased number of immune-system cells in their intestines. This immune-system response is associated with pain and diarrhea.

The gut is also a large source of benzodiazepines, which are psychoactive chemicals used in popular drugs such as Valium and Xanax. It's been found that in times of massive acute stress, the gut produces sufficient benzodiazepines to calm and sedate the head brain, downregulating the cognitive and emotional stress response. Our gut literally hijacks the head brain. This is why when in danger we are limited to ‘black and white’/’all or nothing’ thinking and, can 'choke' with emotion.

The gut brain can learn!

There is evidence that the gut brain exhibits plasticity and can learn, form memories, take on new behaviours and grow new neurons, just like our head brain can.

Research performed by gastroenterologist Dr Yuri Saito Loftus from the Mayo Clinic, indicates that the gut brain learns from traumatic experiences such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disasters, accidents and physical or mental abuse. These traumatic experiences can cause changes in the nerves and muscles that control sensation and motility of the bowel.

Dr. Jackie D Wood, a professor at Ohio State University, and leading expert on the enteric nervous system (ENS) who named the ENS ‘The brain-in-the-gut,’ says there’s a growing body of evidence that suggests that autoimmune diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may involve the gut brain.

Gut Directed Hypnotherapy

The focus of gut directed hypnotherapy is communicating with all three brains that control our mind body system. A key element of the Hypno4IBS programme is to identify and systematically de-traumatise past trauma, effectively changing the way the traumatic memories are encoded in the brain(s) and to positively affect the workings of the ENS.

If you want to know more about how I can help you manage your Irritable Bowel Syndrome using hypnosis and other psychological techniques, please do get in touch today!