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So I have severe anxiety and over the past year or two I’ve noticed it affects my stomach and causes ibs flare ups, when I’m in public I feel them coming on and it makes me scared to leave the house or go to someone else’s house. I refuse SSRI’s as they caused nausea (which is my phobia) I was given lorazepam, but as these are temporary I’m now stuck on what could help me cope. I’m currently waiting for CBT but I think medication will be better at the same time as that. They are just having a hard time deciding what’s best as I refuse any with nausea side effects. Any advice?

Hi,

IBS is a really unpleasant thing to have to deal with and you are not alone its very common.

You are of course correct in thinking that getting your anxiety under control will have a big impact on it as when your body is in 'flight or fight mode' it affects your digestion and leads to problems such as IBS.

CBT could help you get on top of your anxiety and many people find it very helpful. It should help you get to the bottom of why you are feeling anxious and help you think about things in a different way which in turn will help your IBS.

Have you tried mindfulness and meditation or relaxation techniques as many people find them really helpful. There are online courses you can do, it takes practice but the effects can be long lasting. What these do is take your body from 'fight and fight' to 'rest and digest' by activating the vagus nerve which is your 'off' button! Other things that activate this nerve are, singing, laughing and exercises like yoga and Pilates. Also massage and aromatherapy can help.

Another simple thing you can do is have a media holiday, don't watch the news, turn off social media and strictly limit your time on your mobile phone and the internet as all these things feed into your anxiety causing your IBS to flare up.

Workplace stress can also have a big impact on IBS so it is worth considering this as well and maybe thinking about ways you can get support at work?

I hope you found some of this helpful and I wish you well finding a lasting solution.