Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment for a Woman with Bowel and Bladder Obsession

Abstract

Changes in autonomic function which results from anxiety can lead to an urge to defecate or urinate. In some patients, an exaggeration in visceral sensations can be accompanied by obsession and catastrophic fears that the patient may imminently lose control of their bladder or bowel functioning. The condition, known as bowel/bladder control anxiety (henceforth BBCA) disorder can hurt the social quality of life. In this paper, a case of a woman with bowel/bladder control anxiety disorder is presented. The patient was treated using cognitive behavioral therapy (henceforth CBT) to manage her anxiety about the imminent loss of control of her bowel, which had pushed her to avoid traveling outside of her house. Treatment consisted of six sessions of CBT. At the end of the therapy, the patient reported increased confidence to go outside her home, suggesting that CBT could be useful in the management of bowel/bladder control anxiety disorders.