# Coping mechanisms and support?



## whomsphoebe (May 22, 2016)

Hey all, new member here.

I was recently diagnosed with IBS after suspecting my symptoms were rooted in this syndrome for months.

Most of my problems are rooted in gas and dealing with this symptom when in public situations.

I'm 16, so going to school is extremely stressful for me, especially when I know that I'll be dealing with these symptoms all day. Most of my gas is actually 100% odorless, but it leads to a lot of discomfort and paranoia. The gas feels like bubbles, and I can let them out slowly, so no one notices, but it's extremely painful. My stomach is really noisy. I feel extremely self conscious and my anxiety and paranoia lead to me having to leave class at least once or twice a day to sit in the bathroom and just recollect. Lately, I've been starting to worry that maybe in fact I do smell and that my peers think of me as disgusting or weird. I've been pretty open as far as what I've been dealing with, but I'm extremely hesitant to tell anyone about my gas, especially considering how socially unacceptable flatulence within itself is. I'm almost certain that at one point I heard a girl who I'd otherwise consider to be a good friend yell across the room at someone else that I smell bad, and he responded with in an inside joke we had about someone else who smelled bad (I know, that shouldn't have been an inside joke in the first place. I'm past that now) I was absolutely mortified. I went straight home and cried myself to sleep. Also, one time my sister told me that I smelled like a fart even though I couldn't smell it. Every time someone tells me that the room smells bad or I even hear the word "smell" come out of someone else's mouth and I can't smell anything, I get terrified that it's me.

My IBS has actually transformed me from a fairly social and well regarded individual into someone who avoids having to sit near or be around anyone. I've stopped going to social events, even if people I used to be close with invite me or express interest in me going.

I just get so nervous that I smell bad, my brain tricks me into thinking that I do. I'm too embarrassed to ask anyone, and I'm afraid of people lying to me in order to avoid hurting my feelings. I've started to have emotional breakdowns at home and I have strong feelings of hatred. I consider ending my life a lot just because I feel like this consuming paranoia will never end.

I would like to know if anyone else has faced these same feelings of self disgust, paranoia, and depression.

What do you guys do to cope with these feelings? I'm afraid I"ll never experience intimacy or close friendship because of this. I just would like to know what you guys do to minimize these damaging thoughts.

I'm being buried alive by my own fear.


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## Patrick ibs c (Mar 5, 2016)

i had that same problem too ,growing I had 3 bros and sisters and shared one bathroom,i had to rush going potty and it wound up giving me life long constipation


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## Kane the Undertaker (Feb 15, 2016)

whomsphoebe said:


> Hey all, new member here.
> 
> I was recently diagnosed with IBS after suspecting my symptoms were rooted in this syndrome for months.
> 
> ...


I have had the exact same problem for almost 3 years now , I constantly fart through out the day and I can`t smell them , but I think others can. I have been doing research on this topic for months now and unfortunately have not found a cure .. yet.

Here is another guy who has the same problem :http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Gastroenterology/Extreme-gas--related-to-anxiety/show/1305918

I`m 15 btw , if you wanna talk feel free to send me a message or email me at [email protected]


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