Psychosomatics of irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term disorder of how the gut works: stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or all in turn, with no inflammation or tumour. It can be kept under control: food, routine and medicine chosen by a doctor help. The Ladder method adds questions about what you cannot "digest", and it does not replace a doctor.
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When to see a doctor
A GP or gastroenterologist makes the diagnosis: they ask questions and order blood and stool tests to rule out coeliac disease, inflammation and other illnesses. The NHS advises seeing a doctor if bloating, pain or bowel changes last 4 weeks or more.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method IBS is not explained as "you are nervous" or "you brought it on yourself". You are not to blame for becoming ill. The gut and mood are linked, but the cause of the illness is many-sided, and diagnosis and treatment with a doctor come first. Questions to yourself belong alongside them, not instead of them.
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In the method the gut fits the image of "digesting": what you cannot accept, swallow or let go, and hold inside. It is an image, not the cause, and it does not replace treatment.
On the ladder this shows up as the steps "I keep everything in" and "I cannot say what does not suit me". You can work through them at your own pace alongside treatment.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
More: signs, medicine, sources, questions
How it shows up
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- Stomach cramps and pain that ease after the toilet
- Bloating and rumbling
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea and constipation in turn
- Mucus in the stool
- A feeling that the bowel has not emptied fully
What medicine knows
IBS is a common long-term condition. The NHS says it causes stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation, and that it usually lasts for life but the symptoms can be kept under control. It is not considered dangerous to life.
The exact cause is unknown. MedlinePlus names possible factors: a more sensitive gut, changes in how the gut wall contracts, a past gut infection, stress, some foods. Attacks often get worse with anxiety and tension, but stress is a trigger, not the cause.
Signs according to the NHS and MedlinePlus: pain or cramps that ease after opening the bowels, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or a mix of both, mucus in the stool, a feeling that the bowel has not emptied fully. Symptoms come in waves and can get worse after eating.
What helps according to the NHS: keeping a food diary to find your own trigger foods, not skipping meals, drinking water, moving, sleeping enough. A doctor may suggest antispasmodics, medicine for diarrhoea or constipation, a low FODMAP diet and, if needed, talking therapy.
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Frequently asked questions
Can IBS be just from nerves?
No. The exact cause is unknown, and it is a mix of how sensitive the gut is, how it contracts, past infection and food. Stress and anxiety can set off attacks, but they are not the only cause (NHS, MedlinePlus).
What does IBS mean in psychosomatics?
There is no proven "meaning". In the Ladder method IBS becomes a reason to ask yourself what you cannot "digest" and what you hold inside. It is a question to yourself, not a diagnosis.
Can IBS be cured?
Usually it stays for life, but it can be kept under control with food, routine and medicine, and many people have long calm periods (NHS). Choose the treatment with a doctor.
Related topics
Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.