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Day 10 Food/IBS/struggling with triggers

E

EllaNYC

Newcomer
My main chronic pain is digestive pain and discomfort that I always thought related to the food I eat.
Since starting the program I’ve had a lot of relief and I’ve been adding new foods in. The other day I was triggered emotionally and ate a bunch of junk food I haven’t had in years and felt sick for a few days. I’m struggling to not get sucked in to blaming the food for my symptoms or maybe it is a part of it?
Anyone here who struggled with IBS symptoms - how did your relationship to food change as you did the program? Did you go slow with it? How do you let go of the fear attached to food?

I’m also struggling with anxiety, especially when my symptoms act up. I’m not sure how to view that, as another symptom and treat it the same way?
 
I'm still a work in progress with IBS and pelvic pain but my relationship with food has changed in that I now know that food itself isn't the issue, it's the feelings behind it. I used to have food binges as you describe but, to be honest, the physical pain and sickness I got increasingly after the binges as the TMS/IBS symptoms worsened made it not worthwhile any more. Just too painful physically.

My food binging was totally triggered by anxiety. Totally. Around self-image, relationships, work (especially work). And anxiety and fear/resentment are the emotions that I'm still working on, and probably will continue have to manage on a daily basis now that the food isn't really an issue any longer.

Good luck, be gentle with yourself as you work through this. We TMSers can be very self-critical. Recovery for me isn't a straight line so if you wobble a bit as you did the other day you can always begin again at any time.
 
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