Finding Success but still Fearful - Bloating, IBS

Hi,

WOW. I am finding A LOT of success with Sarno's methods. I can run again with very little pain. I can sleep without a pillow between my ankles. My chronic constipation of 7 years is finally getting better. It's not perfect, but my stools are softer and more snake like. Things aren't perfect in that regard, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time until I'm having normal BMs again. The main symptom that is bothering me still is chronic bloating, which I've had since I was eight or nine. I believe 100% that the reason I've been able to heal so quickly is that I've surrendered to and stopped fearing my symptoms. I eat whatever I want right now. I do exercises I thought I could never do. I stopped all my meds and supplements (not like they really even helped anyway). The only issue is I am still very afraid of my bloating. I try to surrender to it, but just can't seem to. The moment I look at myself in the mirror, I feel DISGUSTING. (I look several months pregnant). How can I rewire my brain? The thoughts of ugliness and disgust just seem so involuntary. Should I try to send loving thoughts to my bloated belly? Or should I try to ignore it? Or should I allow myself to feel hatred toward it and hope that it stops at some point? I never thought in a million years I would heal as I have, so I'm sure this is all TMS. It's just tricky because this is the symptom that bothers me the most. I guess I'm pretty vain haha. I'd rather be bloat free than pain free, to be honest. I'm also really trying to notice all the times I clench my stomach and stop it. I'm going to get married within a year and so I think some of my fear is that I won't heal my bloating by then. Or that the more I eat whatever I want, the more bloated I'll get. Even though I'm sure that's what's healing me. Also, I think jealousy of other people's small waists and flat stomachs is making everything worse, so any tips on how to stop that would be appreciated as well. TIA.

 

Come to think of it, I think bloating for me is a TMS symptom. I feel bloated for no reason unreasonably, and feel like my belly is sticking out of my shirt sometimes. But if I get a workout in the morning, I almost always can see my abs in the morning if I flex lol.

I think it's all in our heads.

 

Hi Subtlecollision!
Have you found any relief regarding your bloating syndrome ? I could have written exactly what you wrote in May !
Thanks

 

Subtlecollision I’m wondering if you are really concerned about what people think about you more than you care about your health? Don’t go down that road! Been there, done that! Thank of the people who love you unconditionally and have unconditional love for yourself and hopefully these symptoms will let up! I know that’s hard, it’s a work everyday for us all!

 

How are you doing have you gotten a bit better?

 

Acknowledge bloating as TMS and don't hate your body for it. Negative body image thoughts will make your body more unhappy. Also clenching and bloating can be completely independent of body image issues if you feel anxious/burnt out like in my case.