Are you struggling with abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, or constipation? Are gut symptoms taking too much of your time and energy? Do they make you feel anxious or limit the life you want to live? We all poop and pass gas, and sometimes experience bloating or pain. But for 1 in 4 adults, these symptoms are frequent, intrusive, and exhausting. This book is for anyone whose gut problems have gone beyond occasional physical annoyance to disrupting work, relationships, and daily life. Through vivid patient stories and expert guidance, Drs. Helen Burton-Murray, Erik Hedman-Lagerlöf, and Brjánn Ljótsson explain functional bowel disorders, how the gut-brain feedback loop can often spiral rather than resolve, and how to interrupt—and ultimately untangle—this cycle through targeted behavioural changes. Grounded in the latest research, this book offers clear, step-by-step strategies to help calm an overreactive gut-brain system and return to the life you want.

‘[A]n innovative, very digestible (pun intended) self-help book drawing on clinicians’ experiences working with over 700 patients who have presented to gastroenterology for care and is rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy. … Although this book does not specifically address eating disorders, I think its exposure-based approach has relevance for many patients with eating disorders who experience functional gastrointestinal symptoms. … Depending on a patient’s stage of nutritional and psychological recovery, this book may offer a useful framework for addressing persistent functional gastrointestinal symptoms alongside or after eating disorder treatment. For patients who are ready to engage in this work, the book could be a helpful resource to read independently or work through with a clinician, providing accessible language and concrete exercises that can extend treatment beyond the therapy session.’

Ashley Dunford Source: Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)