Impacting on the mental and physical symptoms of IBS patients with guided imagination technique

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of the gut-brain interaction defined by digestive symptoms, affecting 1 in 10-15 people worldwide. The incidence of IBS in Hungary is currently 15-20%, with a constantly increasing trend. Functional bowel disease is physically characterized by recurrent bloating, abdominal pain and/or changes in the frequency and consistency of stool. Studies also reveal that IBS patients have a 35% higher level of anxiety and depression compared to healthy controls. Further research found that the presence of sleep disorder as a characteristic stressor was significantly associated with IBS. According to several studies, psychotherapies targeting the nervous and intestinal system, such as hypnosis, have a long-term positive effect on IBS symptoms. The present study discusses the extent to which direct suggestions affecting the nervous system via guided imagination technique for digestion can affect the typical physical and mental symptoms of the IBS target group.

METHODOLOGY: The adult participants of our study enrolled via Facebook. The input questionnaire we sent to them included two main groups of questions, one of which measured their level of depression on the internationally noted Beck depression scale, and the other assessing the presence and severity of their physical digestive symptoms determined by the Rome IV diagnostic criteria of IBS. The guided visualization audio material was made based on the NERVA application developed by Monash University, Australia. These 10-13-minute daily audio recordings were sent to the 41 participants every morning for six weeks. At the end of the six weeks 28 of them returned the output status assessment questionnaire to us completed. By summing up their answers, we carried out statistical analysis in order to determine the general improvement of mental and physical symptoms, and also in scope of the frequency of listening to the guided imagination audio material.

RESULTS: In summary, the results showed that the most significant improvement occurred in the level of anxiety.  Additionally, both the severity of abdominal pain symptoms and abdominal bloating decreased among the 28 participants. Sleep disorders also showed significant improvement in the output measures. Regarding the frequency of listening to the audio material effecting the improvement of symptoms, we found a significant correlation only concerning the level of depression.

CONCLUSIONS: We can say that by listening to the 6-week imagination audio material, both depression and sleep disorders, which have been shown to be closely related, can be significantly reduced in IBS patients, as well as the strength of their symptoms of bloating, lower abdominal pain, and anxiety. Regarding the frequency of listening, the conclusion can be drawn that if the guided visualization audio is listened to at least every days, a more significant improvement in the level of depression can be achieved than in those who listen to the daily sent audio less often.