# Dr. Bolen



## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Dr. Bolen,I feel that the IBS world is missing out on a wonderful coping tool. I was wondering if you'd be interested in looking at it.It's called "Paradoxical Intention" & has been documented for solving a number of problems such as stuttering & excess sweating, where fear of a particular behavior actually brings that behavior to pass. In a nutshell, you try to bring about the behavior & find that you can't, & your fear disappears.I've used it for a long time for IBS, but I've never heard of anyone else doing so. It is part of Logotherapy, and I believe it was invented/discovered by Victor Frankl (or he borrowed someone else's idea & incorporated it into LT?).Anyway, I've posted about it a number of times, but I am no one of note, so it is understandable that people aren't trying it. Perhaps if you were to read up on it & thought it worthwhile, they might gain some value from it? A google search will produce a number of sites describing PI, but nothing about PI & IBS.I've found this to be a great tool in emergencies & it kind of bothers me that no other IBSers seem to be benefiting from it ....Thanks,LTL


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## BBolen Ph.D (Nov 9, 2000)

LTL, I have not seen any research that specifically looks at Paradoxical Intention as a treatment for IBS. Your understanding of the development of PI is similar to my own. PI does fit within the CBT framework as it involves changing cognitions, e.g. the way that one thinks about the problem. I think that it is great that you offer what has worked for you for others to try for themselves.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Ltl, I am glad this is helping you.







Just post the information to the bb here and start a thread on it.It is not easy thing to get people involved or interested in things sometimes even though people may read they might not always post to or discuss things to much, even if there is IBS research behind it.The best way is to post the information for discussion and for the information in general.Its hard for me sometimes as I am as you know researching my own avenues in depth, but if you believe it to be helpful, I am sure others will take an interest when they see the material. Sometimes this take some time and work to accoplish however.







I would be interessted in reading it here if you stated a thread and posted to it, I just don't have much time to go search.


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## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Dr Bolen, Thanks for replying. I can see that if there is no research supporting PI for IBS, you can't really recommend it. Somehow I didn't realize that before I read your answer - now it makes sense.Eric,Thanks also for responding. I've written about PI a number of times over the past year.


> quote: It is not easy thing to get people involved or interested in things sometimes ...


You hit the nail on the head there.







I'm not thinking so much of PI here, but there have been a number of times in my life when I've come up with something that is really different & useful, and yet no one seems to take an interest in it. I feel like I could write a book on that topic.







I am (very slowly!!) learning that when I find something new, to just enjoy it myself & not worry too much about trying to get others interested. Because if I do try to get them interested, it ends up frustrating for me & them. [Kind of like if I were selling life insurance.







] So while I would like for others to enjoy the benefits of PI, I think I'll just accept that I'll be the only one using it for now.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

ltl, wouldn't hurt to post the information from the links though, people read sometimes just don't always post to things I think.I am glad its helping you and like I say I am interested, just don't always have time myself to follow through on everything I would like too, but most times I read the articles however.


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## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Eric,Unfortunately I don't know of any really good links. I have seen some things on the internet, but so far the best (that I've seen) is to pick up a copy of "Man's Search For Meaning" by Victor Frankl" and read part 2. In reading web pages I might find useful tidbits, but its probably because I have already read MSFM & used PI myself. Otherwise the ideas that I see as applicable to IBS would be drowned out in the volume of "noise". LTL


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Ltl, did you see this one? http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap14/chap14m.htm I am glad this is helping you, I in a way see some problems with this persoonally do to the nature of IBS and sending signals to your gut from your brain on purpose. LOlI would imigne however given some time it would begin to help with practice however, by working on negative thought processes.I have to say I really don't know about this method personally however, just a few things I have read.


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## LTL (Dec 18, 2001)

Eric,Yes, I had seen that before. I think the best part (for IBS) is this:


> quote: Or, in some cases a fear can be turned into a wish. Patients have turned feared panic attacks into wishes that the heart will beat wildly which stops the panic (Frankl, 1985).


That, in a nutshell, is how I use it (substitute gut spasms for panic attack). But one thing that Frankl mentions that isn't in this page, and I think is critical, is that you only have to think this for a moment. One moment of that thought can prevent an IBS attack. As far as potentially making the problem worse, I suppose that if, e.g. someone ate as many triggers as they could [which seems to be the kind of thing that this page encourages], thinking that this was PI, they would make it worse. But I have difficulty seeing how it would cause a problem if someone imagined creating enough 'D' to fill a garbage can - and doing so intentionally because they wanted to. ... but maybe it could cause a problem for someone.


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