# How to Deal With IBS and Anxiety in School?



## hazerl (Nov 18, 2013)

I was diagnosed with IBS early this year after a period of serious IBS symptoms during the first semester of my junior year of high school. I'm pretty sure that I've had IBS for most of my life (I can recall specific episodes from as young as eight years old) but lately it has been pretty bad. I was also diagnosed with anxiety when I was in seventh grade and a heart condition that causes panic attacks, heart palpitations, and, you guessed it, IBS, about a month ago. Both of those cause panic attacks, which have been happening a lot since the latter diagnosis. It's gotten so bad that I've been having panic attacks nearly every class period in school, and sometimes more than once every hour. Last Friday I was stuck in the nurse's office for more than half of my school day because I was too anxious to return to class because I felt like I was going to get diarrhea. I had an episode on the bus home a few days before and so now even getting on the bus to go home is a challenge; the bus driver pulled over and asked me if I needed a paramedic (which was extremely embarrassing, and even though I know no one on the bus really cares, it's still difficult to get back on). My dad doesn't really understand anxiety at all, which is a big factor in my IBS symptoms (he understands IBS pretty well, though - he directed me to this website!), so he doesn't understand my inability to deal with it as of late. My mother is super helpful with everything, and she even emailed all my teachers and arranged ways for me to have access to a bathroom during school, but she's sometimes a little TOO helpful, if that makes sense. My anxiety revolves around my extreme fear of vomit (which makes the IBS even worse to deal with since last year it was causing me to vomit two to three mornings every week) and now my agoraphobia. In middle school, I had to enter a weight gain program because my anxiety kept me from eating enough, and I'm starting to get into that routine of not eating enough/stomach shrinking/not being able to eat normally again. I feel like I'm living in those Crohn's disease/ulcerative colitis commercials: always looking for the next bathroom.

I realize that's a lot of issues going on! My question is: how do you deal with stuff like this during school? I'm starting to get anxious every night before the next school day even though my home is my safe space; I even had a panic attack last night before eating dinner. I'm set to get anxiety medication next month, but until then I have to go without and it's getting worse and worse every day. Are there ways to deal with this in the meanwhile without any sort of medication? Neither of my parents are able to pick me up from school on a daily basis, which rules out the half-day suggestion from the school nurse.

I've heard that coconut macaroons can ease IBS symptoms, but I'm a pretty picky eater and the flavor and texture of coconut grosses me out. Are there any other foods that can help? Or foods that I should avoid?

It's my senior year and I really don't want to miss all of it because I can't handle being at school


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## Reed (Jul 13, 2013)

I can totally relate. I am older now, but school was really difficult to deal with. And I also have anxiety with all the issues you mentioned - phobic of vomiting, etc.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy helped me a lot. Working with a therapist is really helpful but the tool I learned that I use a lot is asking myself, "Is that true?" So when my thoughts spin out of control, I just keep asking myself "Is that true?" Usually I'm catastrophizing!

I totally get the overly helpful mom thing too.

You may be able to talk with the school (with your mom) to create a hybrid sort of learning. They do this for students who have other disabilities. Perhaps you can work from home on difficult days but attend school when you can. A lot of places have online learning as well. I know you want to be there for your senior year which is actually a good thing - when you want to do something it can help you feel less anxious and there-for, less IBS-y. But it's just that it's SO much - school every single weekday, social events, after school events... Maybe choosing the pieces you really want to enjoy in person and seeing if you can do the rest online?

One of the things you may want to consider is what you'd like to do for work while keeping your anxiety/IBS in mind. Of course, you want to work with it and hopefully it will get better, but there are a lot of jobs you can do even though you have the IBS/anxiety. So you're at the point where you can begin to put that together.

You're not alone in this. Best of luck to you. Let us know how it goes.


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## hazerl (Nov 18, 2013)

Thank you for the advice! I am in cognitive-behavioural therapy which has helped a lot but my therapist and I agree that medication is a necessity at this point. I'll have to talk with my mom about the possibility of changing my school schedule since my dad has shot it down. I'm actually in an arts high school, and if all that ends up successful, I may be working as an artist in the future (which for me is really relaxing so that would be awesome). Again, thank you so much!


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