Learning to Listen To My Body

By tmholland

2 min read

Struggle, struggle, not so bad...pretty good. I feel great! Struggle, struggle, not so bad...I think you get the idea. This is the cycle that I feel like I go through constantly with IBS.

I never know exactly what to do to help myself feel better. The latest and greatest is grand resurgence of gastritis, combined with IBS with a spoonful of depression thrown in. Its probably more than a spoonful, but I don’t like to get more negative than I have to, to prove a point.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is that sometimes I feel like I’m on a freight train of emotions and physical symptoms that is moving just to fast for me to make the right judgement call regarding my care. Luckily, the fact that this ‘freight train’ sensation is mostly in our minds can make things a bit easier if you learn to SLOW DOWN just a bit. Very often things needn’t be nearly as hard as we make them.

Slowing down to help myself

I’m not going to offer some game ending way to slow things down when we start to spiral. Everyone has a different way that works best for them. I like to write or listen to music. You might like to take a walk. I should say that these days, getting outside is probably pretty good for almost all of us if we can. Now that we’re all calmed down and clear headed, what’s next?

My particular problem is always feels like on some kind time clock, like if I don’t make decisions quickly and move quickly, my flares, my pain, my mental health will all just stay the same or get worse. You notice that I said that I felt like I needed to think and move QUICKLY. No, no, no. That will just us back on the train that put us in this situation in the first place.

Coping with IBS and mental health

Take your time. Make a list of things to try to help yourself feel better and slowly try to implement them. A therapist friend of mine once told me that I had made great progress if I just implemented one thing per day. So, if your diet seems the priority, set the game plan, but don’t feel the need to overhaul your kitchen overnight. If you feel as though your mental health is suffering and you decide to speak with a therapist or doctor (for medication) don’t give up if the first therapist or medication doesn’t work for you. This is not a race. This is all for us and we all deserve to feel better.

Hopefully, the simple act (or not so simple sometimes) of just slowing down will help immensely just on its own, without further need to act. My stomach issues, of which I have several (IBS, gastritis, and ulcers) tend to settle the more clarity and focus I have. The panic has to stop. I don’t want to suggest that everyone that suffers with chronic illness has panic attacks or feels the restlessness that some of us do. My thoughts here today are just meant to try to support those of us that struggle with this particular outlook on our issues. Hopefully, with just a touch of calm and mindfulness, we will feel a whole lot better in no time. Thanks for listening.

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Kim Dolce Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="tmholland" user-id="2336240"/> "The simple act (or not so simple sometimes) of just slowing down will help immensely just on its own, without further need to act." Indeed it does, for me. For example, I needed to slow the rate I put food in my mouth, chew, and swallow. I have multiple sclerosis and it affects my head and neck muscles, among many others. I can choke on pills I try to swallow if I take too small a swig of water. Heck, I can choke on air and saliva too, stomach acid reflux at times, although I take Prilosec and mostly don't have that issue anymore. And since working with a speech therapist, I have further strengthened my mouth and neck muscles with exercises. I eat smaller amounts and more slowly. This has helped me lose 28 lbs, through calorie reduction and intermittent fasting. I also haven't had an accident in a long while. Eating less and slower has practically eliminated the kind of spastic colon I once suffered with. And I rarely medicate for my IBS-M (mixed) anymore. Instead, I let my body find its equilibrium. Most of the time, I'm constipated with little rocks. Then my colon empties itself. So I don't usually have to take a stool softener if I haven't moved my bowel for a couple of days. In some cases I do have to, and it is a mostly gentle outcome. When I do feel sudden urgency, I respect it always, by not dawdling and moving quickly to the bathroom. These days, the urgency is usually gas and I can pass it before my butt hits the seat, and without making a mess. This is progress 😀 So, slowing down allows me to observe and make adjustments. Being patient with myself and getting better acquainted with the organs I use to chew, swallow, and those we use to process food and waste. Know thyself is the best two-word affirmation a patient advocate can use to find health solutions for just about any symptom. It truly takes a village to help one chronically-ill person take charge of her medical care. I'd like to thank this village for being there, with me and for me. And I hope y'all have found this to be true with and for all of you!