# Using hypnosis to study IBS a new study



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYIGut 2002 Nov;51 5:701-4 Visceral sensation and emotion: a study using hypnosis. Houghton LA, Calvert EL, Jackson NA, Cooper P, Whorwell PJ. Department of Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester, Manchester M20 2LR, UK. Background and objectives: We have previously shown that hypnosis can be used to study the effect of different emotions on the motility of the gastrointestinal tract. These studies demonstrated that both anger and excitement increased colonic motility while happiness led to a reduction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hypnotically induced emotion on the visceral sensitivity of the gut. METHODS: Sensory responses to balloon distension of the rectum and compliance were assessed in 20 patients with irritable bowel syndrome IBS aged 17-64 years; 17 female diagnosed by the Rome I criteria. Patients were studied on four separate occasions in random order either awake control or in hypnosis, during which anger, happiness, or relaxation neutral emotion were induced. RESULTS: Hypnotic relaxation increased the distension volume required to induce discomfort p=0.05 while anger reduced this threshold compared with relaxation p<0.05, happiness p<0.01, and awake conditions p<0.001. Happiness did not further alter sensitivity from that observed during relaxation. There were no associated changes in rectal compliance or wall tension. CONCLUSIONS: Further to our previous observations on motility, this study shows that emotion can also affect an IBS patient's perception of rectal distension and demonstrates the critical role of the mind in modulating gastrointestinal physiology. These results emphasise how awareness of the emotional state of the patient is important when either measuring visceral sensitivity or treating IBS. PMID: 12377810


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

Interesting. I got a little lost... hapiness does not affect the motility?


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

i think it might be a little confusing since hypnosis here is only used as a method to study the effects of emotion on motility. it basically says that anger affects motility and happiness doesn't which is pretty common sense. i'm pretty sure they have used hypnosis to study emotions for 50 years or so. did you get a chance to read the article, eric? tom


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2002)

I still get the trotts when I'm happy. How does that fit in to all of this?


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

That is why I asked. Sometimes I am happy and feel like those little dogs that when you play with them they urinate, LOL. Of course I do not urinate, but get that feeling of "too much hapiness".


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## Guest (Oct 21, 2002)

Zakaya.....







FDOTFALMAO !!!!!(Falling Down On The Floor And Laughing My *** Off)Great analogy !Evie


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

right, that's what the study says, I think - happiness does not afefect motility. i wish someone would actually read the study. These web abstracts are very confusing and I would think anybody's GI would have a subscription to _Gut.tom


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:happiness does not afefect motility.


No, the study did not really test motility. The study compared how emotions affect visceral perception (rectalcompliance is part of motility technically but in this context they are really interested in visceral perception). It found that, in fact, happiness does affect perception in a majorly positive way compared to the control (awake: no hypnotic state) condition.


> quote:I still get the trotts when I'm happy. How does that fit in to all of this?


Emotions only go so far. The underlying problem is still there.


> quote:I am not good with the P values really


The p value indicates what the probability is that the effect being studied occurred just like this, randomly, as opposed to the variable the experimenter changed. The lower the value the better. Generally, a p value less than 0.05 means the effect is real. Eric, I have emailed you the whole article.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Flux, thanks for the information and for the whole article which I found very interesting indeed. Thanks again for your help on this one and the explanation on P values.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Tom, by the way I emailed you the study Flux sent me.


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2002)

Could one of you please send the article to me. I am very interested in reading it and sharing it with my therapist.Thank youEvie


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

I will try to do that Evie I had to send it to Tom twice, hope he got it.I am sure your therapist will find it interesting in regards to IBS.Flux, thanks again for sending it to me.


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

thanks, eric. got it the second time. interesting that they talk about the mind, not the brain?tom


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2002)

From the article:"Feelings of anger and aggression increase colonic motility while hopelessness leads to a decrease."I found that statement most intriguing. A few weeks ago when I was in the throes of a horrific episode of clinical depression, unable to eat, getting very little sleep and feeling "hopeless", I lost almost 20 pounds and experienced virtually NO IBS symptoms at all at that point.The Celexa has enabled my to "relax" a little, I am eating a bit more normally now (although I have not regained the weight yet)and have been able to participate in the deep one-on-one hypnotherapy sessions, which I am finding to be very soothing overall. (Keep in mind that there is more going on with me than just IBS.) I'll have more time to read the rest of the article later this evening.Thank you, Eric, I am sure that Pat will also find this article very interesting.Warm Regards, Evie


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

when you read the article keep inmind that they seem to be using a psychological appoach to emotions rather than a psychiatric or more popular understanding. I naturally think this is much better but it can be confusing if you're not familiar with it. Dr. B might have some ideas of readable information on this, but I think, for example, when they talk about hopelessness they mean depression which is defined as a lack of emotion and not as the opposite of happiness.tom


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2002)

Ok Tom... I am not sure that I understand the difference between psychiatric and psychological You may need to explain that one to me.When I was at rock bottom a few weeks ago... I was totally stoic....apathetic.... I was either asleep or sobbing uncontrollably and didn't care if I lived or died... I was like a machine being propelled by what I knew I needed to do, but what I couldn't do. Felt as if someone was pushing me from behind when all I wanted to do was curl up and die.I read the article in its entirety. I found it difficult to draw conclusions from it. The one thing that I found particularly interesting was where it stated "It is noteworthy, however, that those patients who were clinically anxious and/or depressed did NOT show any greater sensory response to the emotion that those who were not." This suggests the brain-gut theory again, doesn't it?I guess I would like more interpretation from you, Dr. Bolen, Eric or anyone who has background in the brain/mind/body/spirit connection with IBS & its accompanying conditions as related to hypnotherapy and regarding exactly what this article is actually saying. Thanx, and Warmest Regards, Evie


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