IBS and severe anxiety disorder

[hermione1968]

My 18 year old son has had anxiety for years and over the past couple of years, he experiences bowel issues when having to do something that also triggers his anxiety. He is currently taking Mebeverine and has a card to show shops etc, so he can use their facilities but we wondered if there are other ways to control his issues?
Thank you x

[Dr Claire Mansfield]

Hi has he tried a psychological therapy? This can be very helpful in managing anxiety which may help to improve his IBS. He may be able to access this via his GP, or through a local organisation such as Mind. You can also find a local therapist in your area on the counselling-directory.org.uk

[Dr Neil Galletly]

IBS can sometimes be linked to anxiety. We think a lot of the problems in IBS are related to over-active and over-sensitive nerve endings in the bowel - and these nerve endings are all connected to nerve endings in the brain. So when the ones in our brain start firing off more due to anxiety it can sensitise nerve endings in our gut and cause them to fire off more, causing pain and diarrhoea.

As Claire says above, psychological or 'talking' therapies can help a lot - both with anxiety and IBS symptoms. Often Gastroenterologists use medicines that can be used to treat anxiety to also help calm down nerve endings in the gut and help treat IBS symptoms. It might be worth discussing this with his GP if he hasn't already

Good luck!

Neil Galletly