Angry Again: IBS and Anger
I am not someone who gets angry quickly. I take great pride in that. My rope is very, very long. Interestingly enough, what tends to make me get the angriest the quickest is frustration. Not being able to achieve what I want, fix what needs fixing, or understand what needs understanding. I cannot think of many things that have been more frustrating and perplexing than IBS.
Yes, I have theories about why I have it, what makes it go away for a time, and what makes it come back, but that’s all they are; theories. I want to understand, but sometimes I just can’t. It doesn’t end there. I get frustrated when I feel like absolute Hell and like I’ve tried everything (water, exercise, teas, aromatherapy), whatever, and absolutely nothing works for me.
Tips for improving mood and IBS
The harder I try, the more frustrated and angrier I am. I think everyone reading would agree that anger is probably one of the worst things for IBS and its symptoms. So, how to cool out quickly and healthfully. You probably have your ideas and practices, which is good because I think doing precisely what someone does isn't probably the right way to go about it. It’s usually the personal approach that works best. That said, we can use some basic things as a baseline for overall improvement in the mood:
- First things first: Oxygen. The more walks, the better. Walking clears the head (I’m a music freak, so I typically take music that calms me down).
- Music is great because, for those of us who are empowered by it, it can empower and also de-stress, depending on your choice of music. You know what music does what. Choose wisely! Haha!
- Showers and baths seem to go hand in hand with the exercise. If I get a head full of oxygen followed by a long hot bath, I’m generally feeling much better by then.
- A good healthy dinner, book, and early bedtime complete the routine. If I am still agitated the next day, wash, rinse, and repeat. It usually doesn’t get to that, though.
IBS is frustrating
I guess the point is that if you don’t want your IBS symptoms to get way worse, keeping anger in check is very important. We’ll talk more specifically about moods in another article, but for now, think about how to rid anger from your life the best you can. Being angry affects your ability to think clearly and deal with problems rationally.
My relationship with IBS usually improves when I don’t let it get to my mood. It’s terrible enough physically without dealing with the moods that bad physical health very often brings. I think the most tangible result of my frustration and anger with IBS are the other stomach problems I've had to suffer individually and alongside IBS. I had terrible problems with ulcers for years, and gastritis comes and goes just as often (probably more) than ulcers. What a wonderful thing an IBS, ulcer, and gastritis cocktail is. Ahh, it warms the stomach.
There is so much to discuss regarding my experience with this topic that I'm sure we will revisit it later. I hope everyone’s mood is, at the very least tolerable today, till next time.
Community Poll
Does your IBS prevent you from attending public events?
Join the conversation