Currently, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is often used as more of a last resort when other methods of easing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome don’t work. New research suggests that behavioural therapy and gut-directed hypnotherapy could be more effective than previously realised

Affecting around one in five adults in the UK, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is more common than many might think. A long-term, often lifelong condition that affects your digestive system, common symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation can be uncomfortable and embarrassing to deal with. Although the exact causes of IBS aren’t clear, it is thought that a combination of physical and psychological factors may contribute, including disordered gut-brain signalling, stress, infection, genetics, dietary triggers, and medications. 

While diet, lifestyle changes and medicine are currently recommended to help improve symptoms or stop them from becoming worse, and you may be recommended to work with a nutritional professional to help make healthy changes, psychological therapies are often only recommended for those who have had IBS for a long time and have found other treatments aren’t helping. New research suggests that therapy may be more effective than other conventional treatment options, and digital therapy may speed up their relief even further. 

Previous studies have suggested that behavioural therapies may be a more effective route. A 2020 study into the efficacy of psychological therapies for IBS found that both CBT-based therapy (a type of talking therapy that helps challenge unhelpful thoughts and behaviours) and gut-directed hypnotherapy (where hypnosis is used by an experienced hypnotherapist to put someone into a trance-like state and suggest that symptoms are improving) had the most positive long-term effects.  

A new systematic review from researchers at the University of Leeds suggests that behavioural therapies may be more effective for helping with symptoms of IBS than originally thought, and that gut-brain behaviour therapies should be more frequently considered for treatment. The systematic review looked at 67 different randomised-controlled trials, with over 7,000 participants across studies lasting four to 12 weeks. 

Researchers discovered that CBT and gut-directed hypnotherapy, delivered in-person, online, or via an app, were more effective than standard treatments, based on participants comparing their IBS symptoms before and after treatment. Research findings suggest that behavioural therapies should be used much earlier, rather than being offered after standard interventions have not helped as much as hoped. The review also suggested that, rather than having to be in-person, digital approaches, such as via app or online, could be just as helpful and may offer quicker support, though more trials are still needed to compare digital and in-person therapy.

What is gut-directed hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy for IBS is a recognised treatment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Currently, it is recommended for those who do not respond to pharmacological treatments after 12 months, as an alternative or complementary option to psychological therapy. 

With the help of hypnotherapy, individuals with IBS can learn relaxation techniques and new ways of managing stress. Stress, anxiety and tension can all be caused by IBS, as individuals can worry about the symptoms, or anticipate pain and discomfort ahead of time, which can make them – and their symptoms – feel worse. These feelings of stress and anxiety can, over time, negatively impact other areas of life, too, such as impacting sleep and their immune system. 

A hypnotherapist can help individuals learn to recognise and cope with feelings and fears that may contribute to their IBS. Then, along with helping you to set goals, a hypnotherapist can introduce you to self-hypnosis techniques to help continue between sessions, as well as to use visualisations and suggestions to decrease the sensitivity of your gut and increase confidence.

But what happens during hypnotherapy for IBS? Hypnotherapy Directory member and hypnotherapist, Iain Lawrence, explains more. “Hypnotherapy is such a useful tool in combating Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Hypnotherapy will induce a state of deep relaxation in addition to ego strengthening and helpful suggestions of improvement to your less analytical subconscious mind whilst in trance.

“The hypnotherapist may encourage you to pay less attention to your symptoms, ignore the uncomfortable sensations and not be too fixated on them. This is because often, if people have lived with the problem for a long time, they can be hyper-vigilant to it, which only heightens their anxiety.”

Discover more about hypnotherapy for IBS and how gut-directed hypnotherapy can help. 

Therapy and IBS

CBT is the most commonly used therapy to help with IBS. The aim of CBT for IBS is to help reduce physical symptoms, as well as related anxiety and stress, through learning more about how your thoughts, behaviour, and physical symptoms are all interconnected, and teaching you practical techniques to help. 

According to the NHS, talk therapy can help you to develop stable, healthy eating patterns, reduce symptoms, manage unhelpful thoughts and stress, as well as to find healthier ways to accept and process your emotions, and cope.  

Counselling Directory member and therapist, Martin Conway, explains more about how talking therapy can help with IBS. 

“A lot of the time, we know what we need to do to improve our health and reduce the risk of flare-ups. We know we should quit smoking, drink less, avoid certain foods, rest well, meditate, etc. But this is much easier said than done. Therapy can help you to be more aware of what you need, can help you feel more attuned to your body, and therapy can really help you stick to and achieve your health goals.”

Learn more about cognitive behavioural therapy, what it can help with, and what to expect from sessions. 

IBS might not have a quick fix, but new research shows there’s more help—and hope—than ever before. With growing evidence in favour of therapies like CBT and gut-directed hypnotherapy—whether in person or from the comfort of your own home, it’s possible to find a way forward that feels right for you.