Expressive writing boosts bowels

People who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may benefit from writing down their deeply-held thoughts and emotions, according to a recent US study.

The researchers found that 'expressive writing', in which people are encouraged to let go of their restraints, can actually benefit the body.

The study authors said that the technique had also helped people who suffered from arthritis, chronic pain, high blood pressure, and AIDS.

People who have IBS often get abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloating, and constipation.

The 82 patients who took part in the study said that they felt the severity of their symptoms had gone down, and that they were better able to cope with life and to control their thoughts.

After three months of using expressive writing as a treatment, the study subjects also said that their quality of life had improved.

In other studies, researchers in IBS have noticed that the link between the brain and the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract is part of the syndrome.

Mark Lumley, an expressive writing expert at Wayne State University in Detroit, who did not take part in the study, said that he felt IBS patients would make good candidates for expressive writing treatments.

For the study, the researchers first gathered candidates using IBS-related websites.

The researchers then recruited people to do an expressive writing task over a four day period, and also gave questionnaires to other people with IBS.

People who completed the writing task said they felt it had helped control their symptoms.

The authors of the study said that psychological treatments for IBS were becoming more and more accepted, and that they recognised the need for a follow-up study.

They said that, since therapy cost money, online expressive writing would be a good way for patients with IBS to reduce their symptoms without having to pay large sums.

Lumley said that, while he was not as optimistic as the authors of the study, he did think that their conclusions made sense.

He said that people who had IBS should try expressive writing, and that it may work for some, because people kept too many secrets and avoided dealing with emotional experiences.

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