Ibs and personality disorder

[Noel44]

Hi guys

Does anybody with ibs find themselves getting withdrawal syndromes ? Self aware around people ,

Lack of confindence , avoidant ,introvert ????

To be honest I have all those symptoms .....it is very tough

[merlin19]

Very much so! I completely sympathise with this, I find my symptoms, particularly when I'm in pain make me draw right into myself, and often a bit foggy about noticing what is going on around me/conversations. I know my boyfriend particularly notices it, and I do make a special effort so it doesn't seem I'm being rude or ignorant, I think he does understand that I'm a bit out of it sometimes. It's hard at work, I often feel I'm not as chatty or sociable as people expect but it's often hard enough to just get through the day without the extra effort/confidence needed to put a 'everything's fine' front on to other people. It is very tough and there's definitely good days and bad days, i think all we can do is not beat ourselves up about it as that makes it worse, do what you can when you're feeling well and focus on yourself when you feel bad!

All the best x

[healyourself]

Hi Noel,

Yes it is normal to feel all that when a person has any bowel diseases...as our gut is connected with our head through the spine...that's why when people heal themselves from any gut disease, they immediately become someone else..happier, positive and relationships improve, etc..

I'm an example..and proof of it.

[bburzycki]

Totally, and in my case I know I lost friends, and have pissed off many because of my gut issues, then I learned to control them better but when you feel terrible it is hard to put on a smiley face.. and you should not think you have too all the time.

It is ok to be sick, its ok to be sick and tired of feeling terrible also.

[AGood]

Hi noel44

Absolutely. I feel it takes up so much energy being in pain, with a good helping of anxiety added to the mix, I can't "join in" when I'm in a flare up.

The only thing that helps me is being 100% honest with my family and close friends and then just asking them to stop asking how I am for a while. I say no to invitations and have found I have to be really assertive about what I do and don't want. When I am feeling a bit better I can bend with the wind more. It's just the way it is.

Hope this helps & best wishes

[Pat9]

hello Noel, yes I do I hate bring near people when my IBS starts up, I think when suffering pain like this it is hard being sociable.. or even sitting upright making small talk with people all I want to do is go off to a quiet room and rest up till the pain goes.. no magic answers but no your not alone x

[Hidden]

Yes yes and yes! You are not alone unfortunately and IBS definitely makes you less sociable as it can affect you in so many ways. You just have to use as many self help methods as you can.

Try

Ibsaudioprogram100 cd for self hypnosis

Fodmaps diet for sorting out which foods affect you - app available from Monash university

Get 'I need the toilet' card from

Theibsnetwork.org

Good luck

[pommy]

Yes im feeling the same . To the point of losing my partner . When im at work i can forget my symptoms .At home they take over . xx

[BettyA]

Hi Noel,

First of all...there is nothing WRONG with you... what you are experiencing is OH, so very 'normal' when you have ibs... Not knowing when you are going to have to sprint for a bathroom, or IF you are 'going to make it in time' ...and sometimes the pain and discomfort that goes with it all... this can be VERY difficult...

I hope you have some things that are helping you...Rx or alternative... and have you tried the different diets? Everyone's case is so different, yet we all share so many of the same reactions and feelings...

Just keep being DETERMINED that you will NOT let this get you down... and keep at it..., its the way most of survive both anxiety and ibs.

Good luck to you!

[deandb76]

When mine flares up bad, I too become very unsociable to everyone including my dogs. its horrible cant concentrate, don't want to concentrate. its very difficult I find myself to get very angry over stupid things and lock myself away, I call it a feeling of on the edge,brain doing overtime due to un-comfortableness, worrying etc.

[ivesy]

I too experience this. Im actually sitting at my desk at work typing this, trying to force myself to eat some lunch. I find one of the hardest part is just concentrating in meetings. One of my most prominent symptoms is nausea and i find most of my energy is spent just trying to keep that under control which doesnt leave much energy for anything else. Its a struggle just to get through the day so im not always able to put on a smiley face!

[Popetta]

Hello Noel,

It should be "ok" not to always have a "smiley" face. Do you know how much energy and effort it takes to put "a front" every single day, specially at work or in social situations (includes close friends & family)??? it's exhausting that's for sure!! and for what? I wonder... they just do not "get it". If you are suffering physically every day that's already enough to exhaust and drain you, so people need to "open up", become aware of "invisible illnesses" such as IBS, IBD, etc. and generally be more "open minded" and tolerant. There is so much ignorance our there it's unbelievable!!! and this includes medics too.

Be yourself, don't let people out there make you feel worse just because you chose to not be 100% socially active 1 or 2 days or weeks even. Take as much time as you need to connect with yourself and what "really" makes you happy I know it's tough, but just think that we are here as a support network, going through this too.