Stress inoculation training in irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract

In this paper an example of the psychotherapy efficacy in the treatment of psychosomatic disorders is exposed. The patient, a twenty-one aged student, showed an excessive physiological arousal that made him go to the bathroom urgently and frequently. In addition, he was really afraid of calling the others’ attention or even not arriving in time. He failed to attend to class, to go out with friends, etc., what was breaking his academic, social life. Furthermore, he had been under pharmacological treatment for two years. Besides the Irritable Bowel Syndrome, situational, social anxiety and low mood were found. Stress Inoculation Training was carried out to reach the following aims: (1) to improve situational coping, (2) to reduce physiological arousal, and (3) to control anticipatory behaviours in the evacuation; all of them reached. These results were maintained after a nine month follow up.