# Dr Bolen- Self talk



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Hi Dr Bolen, can you write a little about self talking to yourself and setting yourself up for perhaps a bad outcome. I think this is really important. Thanks------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


----------



## SteveE (Jan 7, 1999)

I agree.


----------



## Guest (May 3, 2001)

there is a good book on this that I recommend to all my patients. It's pretty inexpensive and still very available - i saw it in the grocery store the other day. It's called "Feeling Good" by David Burns and Aaron Beck, two of the pioneers of cognitive behavioral therapy. I don't make recommendations here as a general rule, but this is a book I've recommended for 20 years to patients and the results have always been good.as far as self talk and ibs, i've personally found that whenever I think about it, i have a bad day.tom


----------



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

Eric, thanks for asking. Basically, what you think is going to affect how you feel. If you think "I better be on guard for symptoms" or "What if I start to have symptoms (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation)?" or "What if I can't get to a bathroom?" you will feel anxiety and thus trigger symptoms. If you talk to yourself in a calm way with an emphasis on coping, you will help to keep your system calm and quiet. This calming self-talk is sort of like what you would say to a friend who is freaking out and the sort of things that people on the board say to each other all the time. It also helps to make a distinction between planning and projecting. Planning involves thinking about how you would handle whatever difficulty may arise. Projecting is just looking at a potential disaster in the future, thinking that that would be terrible, but with no focus on how you would deal with the disaster. A third type of healthy thinking is the use of distraction. Because IBS symptoms can be traumatic, people then tend to scan their bodies looking for early warning signs. However, this focus on twinges or internal sensations results in anxiety and activation of the arousal areas of the brain, both of which enhance pain and change the speed of the intestinal system.It is important to keep in mind that although unhealthy self-talk may trigger symptoms that this does not meant that you are doing this to yourself. IBS is doing this to you, but healthy thinking is one tool within your control to reduce the severity of symptoms.I wholeheartedly agree with tbell's recommendation of the book "Feeling Good" as it offers easy to follow ways of challenging and replacing unhealthy thinking patterns.------------------This input is provided solely for educational purposes and is not to be seen as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified professional about your personal medical needs and any questions you may have regarding this information.


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Thanks Dr Bolen, I found that quite helpful and very true. Thanks for the recomendation on the book Tom.I like to see information like this.







------------------Moderator of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Anxiety and Hypnotherapy forumI work with Mike and the IBS Audio Program. www.ibshealth.com www.ibsaudioprogram.com


----------



## wanderingstar (Dec 1, 1999)

That's informative Dr Bolen, thanks for posting.I find that planning can be very helpful; it means that once I have planned, I don't need to think about the IBS anymore for that day. So, say I have planned to have medication with me and have planned where and when I can visit a toilet, the IBS acting up is no longer an issue, it doesn't matter if it acts up because I have the situation under control. I think that prevents aggravation of symptoms by worry and projection.Every thought we have has an effect - I think Mike says that somewhere in the Audio Program.susan


----------



## JeanG (Oct 20, 1999)

Thanks for the great tips, Dr. Bolen!







JeanG


----------

