The movie is a really good movie and has nothing to do with taking drugs. Really funny with Bill Murray.Anyway -- the therapist's office doesn't have a bathroom? That would be odd. Maybe you just need to find another doctor that you feel more comfortable with. Therapy is hard work. You have to face a lot of problems. But in most cases, I think that you will get better a lot faster through seeing a doctor than trying to do home remedies. Its like trying to treat bacteria by eating a lot of chicken soup. The chicken soup may make you feel better, but you really need an antibiotic to totally get better. I share your concern with taking drugs, although they are necessary in some cases. See all the people here whose problems cleared up totally as soon as they started taking them. Most times, even if you start drugs, the doctor will ween you off of them over time. However, if your therapist's answer to everything is just more perscriptions, then I agree with you 100% and you should find someone else. I know its difficult being the center of attention and telling all your symptoms to a psych doctor, but if you want to get better, you'll have to face them at some point. I'm a perfectly functioning member of society. No disorders. No mental illnesses that I know of. Happily married, great job, live a nice life except for having to deal with IBS. I'm considering going to a therapist myself -- not because I think I'm looney, but because I know that a trained professional can help my anxiety and stress much more quickly than I can figure it out myself. Why reinvent the wheel? You should really seriously consider going regularly to a therapist -- everyone on the board can offer suggestions as to what has worked to some degree for them; but any home remedies you try won't solve your problem as quickly as a good doctor.To answer your question, though, its hard to think positively and something that all of us struggle with. When I am out and I hear rumblings in my stomach, I immediately start thinking "Oh no, where's the nearest restroom. I have to get there quickly." Of course, that probably causes the cramping and D that comes later. I'm currently doing three things to help this.1) I'm meditating twice a day (when I remember!). This also is teaching me how to breathe and relax my body. I use the relaxation response:
http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/asc/improve/...s/response.html 2) I'm trying to eliminate stress in my life by getting plenty of rest, exercising, and trying not to internalize problems. This website may help:
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW...ml?d=dmtContent 3) Last, I'm trying to make a good dialogue in my head when I start to get in that thinking. If I hear rumblings, I say to myself "That's just gas, let's just see what happens -- it may not lead to any other cramping or D; if it does, I'll deal with it then." I also try not to think about it all the time. Thus, when I find myself thinking a lot about IBS or where the nearest bathroom is, I just say to myself, "I'm not having problems now, so don't worry about it until it happens." and change the subject of my internal dialogue.Things seem to be improving with these three things, but I'm also taking Citrucel once a day and levsin twice a day. You may be a prime candidate for self-hypnotherapy. Many people have gotten better by using a certain set:
../hypnosis/ I've never tried them, but they are certainly worth a shot.Don't mean to sound like a broken record, but even if you try all these things and improve a little, you'll improve the most if you have a good doctor that treats both the physical and mental aspects of IBS. I know you don't want to go and its difficult, but I think its the easiest way.And all the best in the New Year when you'll start to see improvement!