Ani's Story

It was the summer of 2023. I remember the day vividly. My family and I were busy sorting our luggages for a small vacation to Jodhpur. As simple as most trips go, we would leave during the day, reach the airport by noon, and then our planning would take over.

Our cab arrived on time. Suddenly there was heavy traffic, panic influenced the undertone in the atmosphere of the silent but loaded car. I too was taken over by fear. I recall having had a generously spicy snack with an unjustifiable quantity the night prior to the date of journey. It did not go down well with my stomach. It slowly started twisting.

Well of course my guts were intact, but I had that feeling that all wasn't well down there . I started having acid reflux and experienced heat flushes. As we reached and waited for the line to progress at the entrance of the airport, I could feel the clench giving up.

I could feel that I was having a very bad time controlling my stomach at that point. I could also feel that things were not looking to go my way if the situation wasn't taken care of soon.

My father was the point of comfort and a symbol of safety in my life always, so my then dormant hyper-vigilance started mapping where he went the moment my stomach started throwing punches from the inside. The entire situation prolonged, persisting painfully for 10 minutes when I gave up resistance and started asking for help from the staff present.

The helper took his time as he explained that I cannot use a restroom in that section until I clear security. I immediately saw how long the line was, my stomach sank again in fear, my perspiration aggravated, my predicament and gut tightened and worsened with the slow course of time.

I had gone quite a distance when I saw my father returning and he immediately showed me to a washroom where I was finally able to go. The weight of the world seemed to leave me finally — even in the moments of pure desperation which refused to leave me — but I was safe and secure in the moment of relief I found.

This is one of many such occurrences that I encountered in my life due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Every journey, every meal out, every social occasion carried the shadow of what might happen. The constant vigilance was exhausting.

I wanted to enjoy life to the fullest and was desperate to try whatever I was offered to reach my goal, even if it did not look promising at first. IBS had quietly stolen so much — spontaneity, confidence, the simple pleasure of being present without dread.

My life took a U-turn  the moment I was introduced to the world of hypnotherapy. I bumped into a UK-based, India-born doctor who was passionate about hypnotherapy what most of us consider as "bujruki"(trickery)  and hardly believe the difference it can make.

But what I experienced was  "Magic of Hypnotherapy " — It wasn't a quack.I had my first session. He took me to my safe haven and I was asked to imagine a garden which had all the elements I dreamt of seeing. I slowly got into a deep trance and I felt the happiest stomach I had ever imagined.

Now, it was time for self-hypnosis. Slowly but surely, IBS started disappearing from my life. And now I can happily call out - Hypnotherapy exists, and it can break the myth of "living with IBS". Yes, IBS has got a cure. Finally.