In the early 1980s, when Dr. Patrick Porter’s clients first asked for help with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), little was known about this often-debilitating disorder. When he took a look at all the symptoms, though, he realized that helping his clients achieve the relaxation response would at minimum serve to relieve symptoms. His hunch was right, and, with the use of creative visualization/relaxation (CVR), most of his patients showed improvement within a few short weeks. Later, when a client showed him magazine articles about doctors in the UK routinely sending their IBS patients for relaxation training, he wasn’t a bit surprised.

Many cases of IBS go undiagnosed. Symptoms can include bloating and gas, mucus in the stool, and alternating constipation and diarrhea. If you feel like you still need to have a bowel movement after you've already had one, have unusually strong bowel urges, or experience abdominal pain and cramping, you may have an undiagnosed case of IBS. Visit your physician if you have these symptoms, and then get started managing your stress and lifestyle through this Freedom from Irritable Bowel Syndrome series.

Today the medical community recognizes that most cases of IBS are more of a thinking problem than a physical one. They have also seen a rise in IBS, likely due to the effects of Super-Stress Syndrome, which has become prevalent in our modern culture. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is that achieving deeply relaxed states and adjusting one’s thinking is still the best remedy for controlling or reversing IBS.