# reply to cloverleaf



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

Good work! You sound like you have been working very hard at managing your IBS and trying to reduce its impact on your life. Keep it up, continue to challenge yourself to partake in situations and you will find that it gets easier. Remember: avoidance increases anxiety, exposure (to the feared thing) decreases anxiety.Your IBS symptoms should get more manageable as you work to decrease any anxiety that may be exacerbating your physical symptoms. With practice, your thought processes will become more automatic and you won't feel like you are working so hard.As for your request on tips for using CBT to deal with anxiety, pain or potential embarrassment, it would be great if you could give specific examples of each as a topic starter, so members could offer their ideas on how to use CBT for that specific situation.You should take pride in your efforts in managing your IBS.


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