Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic, relapsing disorder of the digestive system. It causes those affected to suffer from irregular bowel movements, diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, and bloating.
The treatment has so far been difficult and usually not particularly effective. Good effectiveness is shown in studies on hypnotherapy.
Digestion and the brain are in constant communication via the so-called gut-brain axis. Through this neural connection, people know when they are hungry and know when to go to the bathroom.
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
In irritable bowel syndrome, even very few stimuli lead to increased intestinal activity. Abdominal pain, frequent urge to defecate, and persistent feelings of fullness are the consequences that make everyday life difficult for those affected.
One of the greatest abilities of nail-biting hypnosis (Hypnose Nägelkauen) in the treatment of irritable bowel symptoms is its ability to bring an unbalanced autonomic nervous system back into balance.
Hypnotherapy is significantly more efficient than behavioral therapy. It achieves the goal of therapy in 93% of cases in an average of six sessions. Behavioral therapy achieves the therapy goal in 72% but needs 22 sessions for this.
Persistent stress or a tendency to nervousness can put the human vegetative nervous system in a kind of overvoltage state, with the result that it is active even when you are at rest. The sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the active reaction, does not rest, even in the recovery phases.
Those affected often do not feel for a long time that their body is under increased tension and misinterpret the first symptoms such as stomach problems, anxiety, and sleep disorders. They think in a symptom-oriented way, for example, that they can no longer tolerate foods so well. Over time, the overriding of the nervous system becomes more and more pronounced, and the symptoms often take a chronic course.
How does gut hypnosis work?
Intestinal hypnosis makes use of the direct connection between the head and stomach.
The goals of hypnotherapy:
- identify, avoid, or otherwise manage the causes
- bring the autonomic nervous system into balance
- it combines various suggestions that boost self-confidence
- connect the intestinal activity with images and anchor it in the subconscious
This gives patients back control over their own bodily functions. This activates and strengthens self-efficacy. Experience shows that the combination of hypnosis therapy sessions and accompanying daily self-hypnosis at home can be extremely effective.