Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy for IBS

Overview
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is frequently associated with psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Emotional distress can cause worsening of symptoms in many people with IBS. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy focused on helping people identify and cope with stress or other negative emotions.

What does it involve?
CBT sessions may be one-on-one or in a group format with people who have similar chronic pain issues. CBT is short-term therapy. Most people attend between 10 and 20 CBT sessions.

CBT is goal-oriented, focusing on specific problems and how to improve them. CBT seeks to help people identify which situations and relationships are problematic in your life, ways that your thinking is negative or faulty, and better ways to approach these circumstances.

Results
Psychotherapy has been proven effective in reducing IBS symptoms in several scientific studies.

Constraints
CBT may not be successful at reducing your IBS symptoms.

You may feel upset or angry during some CBT sessions dealing with challenging emotions.

Your health insurance may not pay for CBT. If you pay out of pocket, CBT may be expensive.

Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to travel to CBT appointments.

For more details about this treatment, visit:
Cognitive behavioral therapy – Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cogn...

Psychological Treatments – About IBS: http://www.aboutibs.org/psychological-treatment...

Short-term and Long-term Efficacy of Psychological Therapies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology: http://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(15...