Eddie Hogan (IBS)
Retired Teacher
Austin, TX
I've had problems with chronic diarrhea for the last twenty years. This issue has affected my life because I don't go out much and travel was difficult. I know that there is an emotional component to the problem and I didn't feel like I was managing things well. I was always uptight and that was a by-product of the condition. I would tell myself that I couldn't do things or visit people and it became a crutch or an excuse for me to stay home.
My daughter had spoken to someone who was seeing a hypnotherapist in Dallas and she thought that it might help me in my situation. I did a Google search for hypnotherapy in Austin and I found out about A New Day Hypnosis. I had known a guy in the army that did stage hypnosis and it was quite entertaining. I didn't think that there was any harm in it, so I decided to make an appointment.
I started to notice things really taking hold after my third meeting. I felt much more confident about the situation and I felt sure that I could learn how to deal with it. I also noticed that I was more considerate of my wife and her feelings. We're approaching fifty years of marriage and I know that we were taking each other for granted.
I realized that she had to put up with my condition and after I started visiting with Laura we had a really candid talk about our situation and circumstances. I began to understand where she was coming from and my attitude towards her improved. I gave her more hugs and I went out of my way to be more considerate.
I've noticed that my behavior and my attitude have changed a lot. I've come to terms with the illness and now I'm working on managing it. I know that I have the ability to control how I feel about the situation and how I handle it. It turns out that it wasn't that difficult to change my behaviors. Through this process, I stopped worrying about all the stupid stuff that I did when I was young and started focusing on the positives instead of my regrets.
I feel more in control now because I'm maintaining my condition better. I'm not so worried about it anymore and I don't make a big deal about it. I'm still aware and I have to be prudent, but I'm not as cautious about things like I used to be. I'm running errands and getting out more. I'm not feeling sorry for myself as much anymore and I've started reminding myself that it's not so bad, which boosts my confidence.
The most important benefit that I've received has been learning to relax. I'm not using my condition as a crutch anymore. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis because I'm a lot better off than I was before. This process has helped me to brush away some of the cobwebs and have a much more positive perspective on my life.