The Benefits of MinimalismIn a previous article, I spoke about the idea of relapse with regards to IBS. A lot of times relapse and ‘bad periods’ with IBS happen because we lose focus...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Stages of Change: Pre-ContemplationIn the mental health field, we talk ‘Stages of Change’ all the time. For those unfamiliar, the ‘Stages of Change’ model provides an efficient structural model to help describe the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Confidence and Self-EsteemThe more I read about the many psychological issues that people with IBS experience, the more the subject of confidence and self-esteem come up. IBS saps your strength. IBS does...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Coffee and CigarettesGuess what I just did? Made an espresso...it's excellent. After I'm done, I will have another. Somewhere in between I will smoke a cigarette. Being that this is a forum...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Cuppa Tea, Joe?One of the biggest struggles I've had since I began struggling with IBS is the transition from coffee to tea. I am a coffee junkie. Before the stomach troubles, I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Keeping Things in PerspectiveI don’t want this to be the ‘at least you don’t have Cancer!’ article. I don’t want to downplay the significance, the pain and the disruption of IBS at all...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
What Type of Therapy is Best For You?I wrote an article not long ago about how one should go about looking for a good therapist. I consider 'talk therapy' the very center of my wellness. I avoided...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Your Employment and IBS: Part DeuxIn my first article regarding working with IBS, I talked about the struggles that I experienced while working at an uber corporate financial company. I mentioned that I am now...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Your Employment and IBS: Part OneWorking with IBS sucks hard. Depending on what kind of job you do, it may be easier to manage in some types of work and more difficult in others. I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Today, I Find Myself Full of AngerSince the beginning, my struggle with IBS has had me running a gauntlet of negative emotions. Fear, depression, anxiety, frustration and most recently; anger. I have tried looking for a...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Music Therapy for IBSI am a musician. Have been since the age of five. My Mother forced me to take piano lessons, which I carefully hid from my friends. I was embarrassed. I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
When Money Becomes an ObstacleI’m going to show my bottom a little here, in an effort to reach out to those of you that are struggling with the financial issues involved in getting proper...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Let's Talk CardiovascularDuring my most recent visit to my GI doc, we were brainstorming about possible ways to ease my stress and anxiety in order to reduce the frequency and severity of...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Please...Just Hear Me OutI am a very open person. If you want to know something about me, just ask. I’ll tell you most anything about me, warts and all. That said, I’ve mentioned...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Water: Just How Important it Can BeI have a drinking problem...but I don't necessarily mean just with alcohol. I have sworn off alcohol for the better part of 12 years, but had to replace the alcohol...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Invisible WarI thought I might say a word or two about the ‘invisible’ nature of IBS. We ‘just’ have IBS, right? The stigma and lack of understanding associated with this terrible...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Why Advocate for IBS?My mother actually asked me why I would put my name and face to articles about IBS and more specifically, my own IBS. Her candor took me off guard, but...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
God? Please Send Chinese Food...God? If you’re listening, I would like to make a request. Please take away my IBS for one day…just one day…or two, if you’re feeling generous, so that I can...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Gotta Get Me ReligionThis is not an evangelical offering or soapbox thing. This is just sharing my personal belief that spirituality is an important part of your wellness. I am of the ilk that...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Panic AttackSo you're trucking along, watching your diet, exercising a little, keeping a journal, seeing your therapist...and then something happens that you cannot explain. Vertigo sets in, trembling, your chest hurts...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments