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Note: I am not a doctor, nor do I claim to be. These are simply my opinions.

Lately I’ve been recalling some rather painful childhood memories for reasons unbeknown, but they have brought some potential insight into why I feel the way I do.

For those of you who don’t know anything about IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), then you’re incredibly lucky, for it is a horrible condition where someone can literally feel parts of the digestive process. It is also hypersensitivity to certain foods, stress, a lack sleep, and drugs. Someone with IBS has been proven to experience pain differently from a person without IBS, and is more receptive to the feelings and motions going on inside their gut. The two most dominant forms of IBS are IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), and IBS with constipation (IBS-C). The third and worst form is IBS that alternates between the two (IBS-A), which is what I have.

Even though I have IBS-A, I experience IBS-D the most, so I’m on a constant supply of Imodium. I take at least 3-4 Imodium a day, as well as an antispasmodic to prevent spasms. Meanwhile I take fiber pills to prevent constipation, but it still happens sometimes. IBS-D usually means several trips to the bathroom in a day. When it comes to IBS-C I get really bad spasms in my large intestine, and experience major cramping and pain. I’ll sit on the toilet sweating profusely for an hour not knowing when I’ll be able to relieve myself, even though my bowels aren’t even solid. It’s incredibly unpleasant, and incredibly painful. I like to call these “IBS attacks.” I use to get them 4-5 times a week, now I can go a week or more without getting one thanks to all the supplements I take.

The root cause of IBS is unknown, but I have a hypothesis.

First and foremost, I believe there most be some sort of genetic predisposition to IBS.

Secondly, the person must experience a traumatic event that causes the human body to chemically react in a way that either increases or decreases serotonin levels dramatically. Potential triggers for increasing serotonin include starvation, crying, and physical contact (including sexual, and harmful contact). This means if you were ever beaten, abandoned, or starved as a child you establish erratic patterns of production and distribution of your neurotransmitters (primarily serotonin).

Let’s take a crying bout for example, when you cry your body becomes physically withdrawn, you begin to breath heavily, and forcefully; pushing on your stomach muscles causing your gut to spasm. This creates spasms in the intestines, as well as an increased level of serotonin which cause increased muscle motility (most serotonin is found in your intestines and is responsible for contractions). After crying for an extended period of time you eventually get that warm relaxing serotonin rush, and instantly feel better, finally stop crying, and return to a state of normalcy. However, in a person with IBS you do not return to a state of normalcy, instead the stress doesn’t end and your body remains in this state to the point until you simply burn out of serotonin and crash fast and hard.

Now your body becomes desperate, and takes anything it can get to boost serotonin levels again: a touch, a piece of chocolate, a kiss, sex, drugs, pot, being physically assaulted, fasting, something salty, anorexia, cutting, something sweet, a new love, a piece of fish.

If sated, serotonin levels may boost and return to normalcy.

If not sated, chaos continues as the body simply runs out of neurotransmitters and falls into a state of depression and hibernation. This can lead to bouts of constipation, cramping, and decreased motility.

Unfortunately, how I figured this out was recalling an early childhood memory of when I was potentially around 2-3 years of age. I was left unattended for days when I was dropped off at this one babysitter with my older half sister, and wasn’t properly fed if at all. I had long ago repressed and forgotten these days until my Sister recently brought up this said babysitter and her house. I then began to recall the pain I felt when I was left at this house alone as a kid. I knew that pain, I knew that pain very well. It is the same pain I feel every time I have an irritable bowel syndrome attack I concluded.

At 2-3 years of age I had already caused my bodies neurological response to stress to burn out all of my neurotransmitters to the point of desperation due to hunger, a lack of human touch, and crying. I was sending my neurotransmitters on a roller-coaster ride establishing unstable neurological patterns that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

I believe the earlier the trauma the more intense the IBS. Although, the onset of IBS may not become apparent until an individual finds themselves in another major traumatic event later in life such as divorce, or the death of a parent or care giver. For some people this can be as even late as their mid 20′s. Then there’s people like me who have simply had IBS since they were 2-3 years old and it’s only gotten worse over time. Living in a constant state of anxiety, stress, or fear, or all of the above is what sets the stage for continued IBS development and attacks. Eventually mere thoughts can lead to IBS attacks, as serotonin plays a critical factor in one’s mood.

Last, but not least, to back up this theory is my hyperhidrosis, excessive sweating of the hands, feet, under arms, and other areas of the body including facial sweating. In my case I had some of these glands cut to prevent my hands and face from sweating, which subsequently rerouted the sweat to my back, chest, and thighs.

Once again we are back to serotonin, which is responsible for the bodies ability to regulate its’ temperature, and in the case of people like myself the glands responsible for sweating become overwhelmed with serotonin while still developing which increases the sensitivity of the sweat glands so that they permanently over react to future stimuli. In other words, by potentially crying myself to sleep starving as a baby is what caused my serotonin levels to spike boosting my sympathetic nervous to the point where my sweat glands were permanently fried to the point of hypersensitivity.

This also of course caused my immune system to respond, which is why the antigens in my blood have the bio-markers present that are found in people with IBS. These antigens are the immune systems response the damage caused by the condition of IBS. In particularly the inflammation caused in the body. Sometimes the body even loses the ability to keep the inflammation in check, which is known as fibromyalgia. A condition I fortunately do not have, but it is very common for people with IBS to also have fibromyalgia, and vice-versa.

Although serotonin isn’t everything, there is of course the other neurotransmitters. The regulation and function of which is also critical.

So what does this all mean?

It means take care of your kids when they are young, and don’t abandon your kids in their times of need whether its feeding them as babies, when they’re going through puberty, or going to college.

Keep babies on a regular feeding schedule, never let them experience starvation – in doing so you will prevent the potential for anorexia and bulimia in your child.

Never harm your child physically, or sexually.

Last but not least, touch your children at all phases in their life. Physical touch is critical to the social development and happiness of your child. Most parents stop touching their children as they get older which creates feelings of rejection, and isolation. Even if your kid is a teenager or adult, a pat on the back, a hug, or a handshake is all that is required.

As for how to cure IBS… I’m going to leave that to the scientists. Although I might be giving them some insight? My thought process at this point is that it is a systemic neurological disorder caused by over stimulation of neurotransmitters (primarily serotonin), which is most likely enabled by a gene sequence somewhere, which means gene therapy may be the best hope of a cure.

If I’m wrong anywhere in this post and you know better feel free to post a comment.

P.S. Further reading on neurotransmitters.