Dear psychotherapist

I am originally from England. I moved to France and lived there for about three years. I moved back to London six months ago and on the plane, I felt terrible. I felt that I was having a panic attack and that there was nothing I could do to stop it. I felt that the whole of my body was tense and that my internal organs were becoming tighter.

I survived this ordeal but it really shocked me. I went back to work. But after a few days I started to feel this tense feeling in my stomach. I love hot (spicy) food, and I wondered whether this was the reason, but I have always eaten spicy food and I have never experienced this. I then went to the GP and he gave me Mebeverine, which is an antispasmodic. I took this and it improved slightly, but now I have diarrhoea. I then took some Imodium and that worked but then I got constipated and so it goes on. I have had my stools tested and had all sorts of examinations but they can’t find anything. Is this sort of thing psychological? Can it be? It seems real to me. I haven’t tried hypnotherapy andI wondered whether you can help me. Can you? And how do I get an appointment to see a hypnotherapist. I am sure that I have got IBS. Is hypnosis what I need? Thanks Dave.

Dear Dave 

Thank you for the e-mail. It seems that you are suffering from IBS-A, where symptoms of diarrhoea and constipation alternate. IBS is very often related to psychological stress or trauma. The approach that I have used in the past, and I have had great success with this process, is to combine support in the psychotherapy with hypnotherapy. In the hypnotherapy I used the direct application of hand warmth to the stomach and I combine this with imagery–specifically, the river metaphor. In this approach, you will be asked to imagine a river and to clean the river of all the rubble and waste, and this, in turn, has a relieving effect on gastrointestinal transit.

In order to book a session, you can simply ring the number here–0207 467 8564. One used to have to get a referral letter from one’s GP; but now, you can simply ring for an appointment with a hypnotherapist or psychotherapist.

Best of luck

Dr David Kraft (PhD); hypnotherapist and psychotherapist.

Dr David Kraft is a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and also a member of the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis (BSCAH). David is also on the General Hypnotherapy Register. He holds two diplomas in clinical hypnosis and a diploma in clinical psychology. He has written papers in international and national journals, including four articles in Contemporary Hypnosis, the publication of the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis (BSCAH), and three articles in the Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. Dr David Kraft uses hypnosis in conjunction with psychodynamic psychotherapy, and he is based in Harley Street in London, UK.

Dear therapist

I am looking for a hypnotherapist in London. Can you help? Ten years ago I was treated in the States for my irritable bowel syndrome. I had constant attacks of diarrhoea and abdominal pain. I am English and I moved over there to work for about three years. As soon as I got there I started to get panic attacks. After a few weeks these disappeared but my stomach started to cramp up and I had diarrhoea every morning and sometimes throughout the day. I then moved back to England. I live in North London. I got better although I still had some panic attacks. Now the diarrhoea has come back in force. In the States I was treated with Lotronex. What is this. Can I get this here? And can hypnotherapy help me. I want to have help with hypnosis because a friend of mine said that this was probably psychological. She said that it was something to do with me living my family and going over there. Also my father died just before I went out there.

Is hypnotherapy useful? Can you help me with this problems.

Many thanks

Lisa

Dear Lisa

Lotronex is the trade name for Alosetron hydrochloride, which is a 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist. Alosetron decreases gut transit and increases the absorption of fluid; it also reduces pain in response to rectal distension. It reduces diarrhoea but it also can reduce urgency and abdominal pain. The drug has had some side effects with a few number of people and was therefore withdrawn from the US market in 2002. It has never been available in the UK. I think that you can get it still in India; however, I don’t suggest that you take this drug as the Food and Drug Administration has not recommended it.

IBS is a GI disorder which affects 10% and up to 20% of the population. In most cases, its origin is psychological. Hypnotherapy has been used effectively for many years in the treatment of IBS.

If you would like to book an appointment with a hypnotherapist, please ring 0207 467 8564.

Good luck.

David Kraft

Help. Please. I need a top hypnotherapist in London who will be able to help me with my problems. I am 24 years of age and working as a nurse. Last year my mother died unexpectedly and this really upset me. I have developed severe stomach pain over the last six months. I went to the ddoctor and he prescribed me mebeverine and asked me to reduce the number of calories that I take in each day. This helped at the start but the pains came back. I have been to the doctor. I have had my stools investigated and there doesn’t seem to be any problems. My blood pressure is normal. I have also had various scans privately-I don’t know what they all mean but they have all come back normal.  But I still have the pains.

A friend of mine who is doing a degree in psychology recommended that I see a hypnotherapist in London. I work in central London and I want to see a hypnotherapist near here. Can you help and can they help me with my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). My friend says that it might be a reaction to my stress or my mother dying or both. I want a hypnotherapist, but I want to find a good one-a specialist. Someone who has worked and had results with people with what I have got.

Thanks, Lisa

Dear Lisa

Thanks for your e-mail. Hypnotherapy is very effective in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. The approach that we use here at London Hypnotherapy UK is the river approach. I use the metaphor on the river during hypnosis to help to reduce pain and to encourage healthy intestinal transit. I combine this with the direction application of the hand onto the abdomen. The treatment is highly effective; however, it is important that this is combined with psychotherapy.  

If you would like to book a session, do not hesitate to call London Hypnotherapy UK. Best of luck.

David Kraft, London Hypnotherapist