Jen, I have seriously benefited from it and so have a lot of people on the bb here.It broke the vicious cycle of IBS for me, especially in the mournings where I use to wake up in pain with IBS on my mind first thing, that is completely gone. Hypnotherapy is a way for the subconcious mind to talk to the gut which recieves signals for digestion on a subconcious level. There are a lot of ways it works and it has to be tailor for IBS for the best results. I am working in research on IBS and I can tell you hypnotherapy has the highest success rate out there at the moment, with an 80 success rate. CBT is right behind it. Both methods are EFFECTIVE where as not to many things are really effective for the whole condition.The skeptism is understandable and many have perhaps felt that way, but you don't need to, because it has been research extensively on IBS for the last 15 years. I believe in the future it will just be a standard treatment for IBS. Its almost tailor made for IBS and they are past the point pretty much on its effecctiveness for IBS and are now studying its effectiveness on other funtional gi disorders. Hypnosis works directly on the anxiety and pain centers of the brain, exactly part of the problem in IBS. It is very complicated and so is the mechanisms for IBS, but with a little reading you will see how and why it works, although they are still studying aspects of it.I think most people think hypnotherapy is a pendulum swinging in front of them and then a suggestion, but it doesn't make you quack like a duck and you are always in control of all your actions. Its not the common perception of stage hypnosis, but clinical hypnosis where a therapist uses guided imagery and suggestions to change thought patterens and to give you some coping techniques for IBS. It is the deepest form of relaxation. It is also kind of like the twilight you feel right in between being awake and falling a sleep.If you have any questions let me know, but you should really read this from the top IBS research center in the country.I am also posting CBT information, which is being studied on IBS also and also has been shown to be effective. The hypnosis is probably a little faster and deeper, but both have different approaches for different people and their symptoms and their is nothing with the effectiveness record as a whole as these two treatments at the moment.UNC Center for funtional GI and Motily disorders.The Effects of Hypnosis On Gastrointestinal Problems Dr. Olafur S. Palsson
http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/hypnosis.htm This is his website with research and explanations in more detail. It is a public service website to help explain why you would do this for IBS.
www.ibshypnosis.com This is CBT information on IBS.
http://ibscrohns.about.com/cs/cognitivethe...rms=cbt+and+IBS If you type in Hypnotherapy for IBS or CBT for IBS in the about.com search there is also more information on all this.For K CBT was the best thing she ever did and for me the hypnotherapy was the best thinng I have ever done. If you read our forum on all this there is a ton of information worth reading.Hope that helps.Telling you how severe my IBS was is a realitive thing here on the bb, but it was majorlly severe pain predominate C/D and I could not get control of it no matter what drugs or otcs etc. I took, but I have been in remission for almost two years now with very mild IBS. ------------------Moderator of the
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program.
www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com