IBS and childhood trauma

[winfong]

Someone else brought this up in another, unrelated post, so I thought I'd give its own . I'm actually kind of surprised I had never seen it mentioned here before that.

Anyway, there is a good bit of research out there that ties IBS to childhood trauma - sexual abuse, in particular. Do note, though, that it doesn't need to be what we usually think of as trauma - i.e., a discrete, obvious event, like a rape, broken bones, abandonment ... It can be something that spans a longer time period and be much more subtle.

As an example, I'm adopted. On the surface, that might not sound like a big deal. Underneath, though, there are some pretty heavy feelings for the adoptee, as well as the adoptive parents - issues revolving around rejection, identity, confusion, inadequacy ... It's a recipe for a lot of silent, subtle trauma.

Just wondering if anyone else had some thoughts on this (in general), and would feel comfortable enough sharing.

Here are some citations:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

livescience.com/16799-psych...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/248...

There's tons more.

[Jackie1612]

Hi Winfong

Yes, I think it was me - I mentioned it. I think it may have been mentioned in the forum before in connection with the book “The body keeps the score”.

Yes, of course you are right. Trauma takes many forms. I am sorry to hear about the effect of your adoption upon you. I think that subtle trauma is much more difficult to identify than serious obvious trauma, such as violence.

I was severely sexually abused from the age of three, but my IBS became severe in my 50s, after years of therapy and getting back ‘into my body’.

What I eat does affect me, but I am in the middle of a flareup that seems to have lasted a couple of years. So it seems that it doesn’t much matter what I eat. As long as I avoid the obvious culprits such as beans.

I feel that it is sometimes easier to cope with the concept of food and diet as being the causes for IBS, but as you say, the evidence is there that there are multiple causes, particularly trauma.

[xjrs]

Hi Winfong, Sorry to hear about what you've been through. I was aware of the connection. I think I may have mentioned it in relation to visceral pain, since such traumas can wear away pain control neurons in the brain, which makes the brain recognise normal bowel action as pain.

In fact, I am currently working on a website of my research (hopefully I'll get a chance to publish this some time soon) and one of my references is one of the ones that you found!:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Trauma can mean a range of things including full blown sexual abuse or PTSD to an unempathetic parent who doesn't meet their child's needs at an emotional level. Generally, this isn't their fault, since they themselves may have been born with or acquired a personality disorder such as autism, sociopathy or even psychopathy. When you look at this closely, it is amazing to realise how many people out there are on this sort of spectrum, which can range from severe (e.g. Lucy Letby) to someone being an emotionally neglectful parent. It's just that they don't have the mental capacity to meet their child's needs.

Coupled with a genetic predisposition to IBS and/or a sensitive nature, all of these are likely to lead to IBS particularly when there is a trigger such as food poisoning. Other people without these factors will recover from food poisoning just fine.

[bigbunbun3]

Dear winfong, I completely agree with your thoughts. It is sad that people not only suffer in various ways due to their upbringing and parents, then have to endure gut problems that in some cases are life long once they begin.

[Frasina]

As others have said, trauma can manifest in many different forms; individual differences in everything from our genetic predisposition to environmental stressors and triggers play a huge role in whether we present with certain symptoms. The link in the research does indeed associate 'sexual abuse' with IBS but of course research takes many forms and something like self report (a questionnaire) may not yield accurate results, particularly if participants are asked to report on something that may have happened years earlier...

From my own personal perspective, I have no idea how I ended up with both IBS (past 25 years) and IBD (past 2 years), however, my father did have diverticulosis for many years. For many people who present with IBS they may not even have a recollection of some form of even 'subtle' abuse that may have happened many years earlier.

I am sorry to hear that your adoption has left some subtle trauma. Thank you for posting this as thread; it will be interesting to see what others say.

[Aimez_1]

👋 I have only met a handful of other adopted people. All who seem to have met their parents often as it was an arrangement within the family as young person became pregnant young so their older sibling took the role of parent. I was adopted as a baby as was my sister. My 2 brothers 5 years older (not related by blood to me unlike my sister) were adopted age 3 I think and had seveare behaviour issues which resulted in addition and suicide for one eventually sadly as they were abused in the care system. My sister has emotional issues and lashes out at my parents and I have to deal with the aftermath (she is 41 my parents are mid 70s) I have never met my birth parents as on paper they seem disturbed and had multiple children adopted. We have a full blood sister we have not met amongst all the half siblings. I had few issues growing up but seek to be the most stable but I had IBS young and the Dr said I was anorexic as I didn't eat but it was due to IBS I now know. I don't share with my parents depression I have had. We all know on here that our gut is closely linked to our brain. I am a very anxious person and my flare up come more from this. I also eat much better and exercise regularly which is the things people don't want to hear as it's more effort.

[WellySam]

I am very sorry for your experience. I have written before her (albeit a while ago) about the link between trauma and IBS.

My IBS-D is anxiety triggered and I started to have issues after being abused.

No physical causes have ever been found to explain the issues I have. Also it comes and goes for me. I haven't been in this site for some time as it has not been too much of a problem.

But for various reasons the past is on my mind at the moment. I have been mulling over the abuse I suffered, who knew, who could have stopped it etc etc etc.

Cue IBS issues. Last week I was out walking the dogs, thinking as you do, and suddenly had a terrible spasm. I didn't make it home before I messed myself.

So feeling crap, but it has been going on so long I guess I am philosophical about it.

I have done a lot of therapy over the years and have gotten to an ok place about the abuse. I am a survivor not a victim, but the IBS is a reminder that I can never completely leave it behind

Hoping you are in a good place