When nothing is working for your IBS, it’s so easy to get really worked up – or feel utterly deflated.
The problem with IBS is not just the awful IBS symptoms. It’s that feeling that you’ll never be free of it, no matter what you do.
You start believing that “Currently, there’s no cure for IBS…”
Even though you have heard of people who have done this, you start to doubt, and no longer trust yourself.
If you feel the same, know that you are not alone with this feeling.
There can be something elusive hiding behind this feeling that can keep you stuck. Read on and see if you relate.
Getting nowhere fast with IBS
I can remember the many years of trying to tweak my diet, my habits and my thinking – and getting no-where.
Instead I got that sinking feeling that I would never find the way out of IBS. No matter what I did.
I think I have just put my finger on why. And if you have the same thing going on, you need to know about it.
I don’t have IBS any more.
However, occurences in my life where I feel like a failure are still showing up to haunt me. Despite having a Masters degree and various successes to prove the contrary, the child in me is still doubting herself.
Recently the newsletter I carefully carve out and send out with my latest insights kept messing up. Links that I had carefully and manually altered, had code added to them for no logical reason – and they didn’t work.
Today I have a new “problem” with an image on a new post. I’m getting frustrated and starting to tweak and fight with it. Just like I used to do with my IBS.
And despite trying to “work out why” and fix it, guess what, whatever I do, nothing is working.
Despite my best efforts, I’m starting to feel that feeling of utter frustration. It’s crazy making.
When nothing is working with IBS
Fortunately I can spot a pattern.
(It comes from experience doing this work.)
By stepping back, and feeling into what was going on, I realised that behind the frustration was actually self-shame, causing chaos. That part of me that was alone to find solutions, brought up with “You’ll never be anything! You don’t have it in you.” is taunting me.
That inner critic, “shaming Shiela”, is telling me to not bother.
That no-one will read what I have to say anyway...
But here’s the thing:
I’ve seen her now:)
I’m letting myself feel the toxic shame that I had denied for so long. I’m acknowledging her – and starting to let her go. Instead of staying stuck, I reached out for help and the newsletter and my website are working well.
If you relate, see if you can spot “shaming Shiela” in your life this week. Does she show up in the people around you? Or as you being critical of yourself? Of having IBS?
This may help you see what is keeping you stuck with your IBS.
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
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