all in your head
Some myths die hard...and some just need killing. In that spirit, this page is dedicated to the myth that IBS is "all in your head", that you are imagining it, or causing it yourself by being stressed, and that if you just calmed down a bit you could be healthy like everyone else.
Below you will find quotes from some of the finest, most respected gastrointestinal institutions and experts in the world - and none of them think that IBS is in your head. Of course, IBS is affected by stress, just like most other medical conditions, but the difference is that if someone has an asthma attack because of stress the people around them don't immediately decide that stress is the sole cause for their asthma - but for some reason they do decide that for IBS!
So the next time someone comes out with the old "in your head" quote, just turn to them and say, very seriously, "Now, that's a very interesting opinion, and I didn't realize that you were such a brave thinker - I mean, to disagree with the International Foundation for Functional Digestive Disorders, AND the Digestive Disorders Foundation, AND the American College of Gastroenterology, AND..."
To get a printable version of this page, in PDF format, just right-click on the link below and choose "Save target as"...
All in your head - PDF version
"IBS is not caused by stress. It is not a psychological or psychiatric disorder. It is not, "All in the mind." Because of the connection between the brain and the gut, symptoms in some individuals can be exacerbated or triggered by stress."
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
"The irritable bowel syndrome is not "all in the mind", even though test results may be normal."
UK Digestive Disorders Foundation
"Does stress cause IBS?
Emotional stress will not cause a person to develop IBS. But if you already have IBS, stress can trigger symptoms. In fact, the bowel can overreact to all sorts of things, including food, exercise, and hormones."
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
"It is important to note that IBS is not a psychological disorder."
Canadian Society of Intestinal Research
"To date there is no single identifiable cause for functional gastrointestinal disorders. This ambiguity can cause significant frustration for both patients and clinicians treating these disorders. It can also lead patients to think that their symptoms are "all in their head." This is certainly not the case. Functional gastrointestinal disorders are not psychiatric or psychological disorders. The symptoms of FGIDs are real and can cause significant impairment and quality of life issues."
Northwestern Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders
"What causes irritable bowel syndrome? Although there is no sign of the disease that can be seen or measured under a microscope or using an endoscope, IBS is a real medical condition."
American College of Gastroenterology
"Stress does not cause IBS."
American Gastroenterological Association
"IBS is indisputably a physical problem. Simply put, the brain-gut interaction of people with IBS influences their bowel pain perception and motility. In a nutshell, the processing of pain information within the central nervous system varies between normal individuals and those of us with IBS, with the result that we can experience even normal GI contractions as painful.
The interactions between our brains, central nervous systems, and GI systems are just not functioning properly. We have colons that react to stimuli that do not affect normal colons, and our reactions are much more severe."
Heather Van Vorous, best-selling author of The First Year - IBS and respected patient-expert
"It's the most common gastrointestinal disorder seen by doctors. Abdominal pain, cramps, gas, bloating, diarrhea and constipation are among the symptoms. For years, many thought it was a psychological condition, rather than a physical one. But the discomfort and inconvenience that result from the gut-wrenching pain of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are very real."
US Food and Drug Administration FDA Consumer magazine
"For many years, doctors thought irritable bowel syndrome was mainly a condition of the mind. After all, these patients always had normal physical exams, and many said they noticed symptoms only during times of stress. Many questions remain, but it's clear that IBS isn't "all in your head." Researchers now suspect the problem springs from a communication breakdown between the nerves and muscles that control the colon.
Without the proper controls, the contractions that move waste through the colon can speed up, leading to painful spasms and diarrhea. Alternatively, the contractions can become sluggish, setting the stage for constipation. The colon also becomes extremely sensitive, and even normal contractions can cause considerable pain."
Medscape
"Functional gastrointestinal disorders are not psychiatric disorders."
UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders