Why treating functional GI disorders requires a whole-system approach. Imagine two physicians sit in adjacent offices. One treats the mind — anxiety, stress, the relentless hum of a nervous system that never quite switches off. The other treats the body—bloating, cramping, the unpredictable rhythms of a bowel that follows no
Understanding IBS after colon cancer surgery — and what to do about it If your bowel habits have completely changed since your colon cancer surgery, you’re not imagining it. You’re not overreacting. And you are not alone. The urgency. The cramping that wakes you at 3am. The way you
Most of us have felt it: a stressful week that brings on a stomachache, a bout of anxiety that makes eating feel impossible, or a prolonged, difficult period that somehow leaves us both emotionally drained and digestively wrecked. We tend to dismiss these as coincidences—stress affects the mind, and
If you live with IBS, reflux, functional dyspepsia, or ongoing GI symptoms with “normal” tests, you’ve likely been told some version of this: “It’s just stress.” Which is both true — and wildly incomplete. Stress isn’t new. We’ve known for decades that stress affects digestion. What’s
This Thursday, I’m hosting an Instagram Live on something we don’t talk about enough in psychiatry: Side effects. Not in the rushed, checkbox way. Not in the “well everything has side effects” way. But in the real, nuanced, human way. Because here’s what I see over and
Last November, I had the opportunity to present on a topic that’s both essential and too often overlooked in mental health care: sexual side effects from psychiatric medications. These side effects are incredibly common—yet many patients don’t bring them up, and many clinicians aren’t taught how
Most people assume gut–brain problems come from big things: the wrong food, the wrong medication, the wrong diagnosis. In reality, the gut–brain axis is shaped far more by small, repeated signals sent to the nervous system every day. Signals of safety. Signals of threat. Signals of steadiness—or
I've been seeing so much frustration out there lately on how gaslit patients feel when the medical system doesn't reflect what they're feeling. Often, people feel that seeing a psychiatrist means "giving up" or that their medical team doesn't believe
I was thrilled in November to share with my colleagues how biofeedback can be used in the outpatient setting for Disorders of the Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBI). The energy in the room was palpable, and I was genuinely moved by how many psychiatrists approached me afterward to learn more about
The experience of chronic pain is incredibly overwhelming and exhausting. When you go to the doctor and hear, “Great news! Your labs are normal.” Empty reassurances about it being just stress or not “seeing inflammation.” It’s very human to interpret these messages as “it’s in your head.” In
Why Perfect Eating Isn’t the Answer If you have IBS, you’ve probably been told to track your food. Log everything. Identify the trigger. "Fix" the problem. But unless you have a true food intolerance or a condition like celiac disease, most people never find one consistent
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been reading for a while, this is a little re-introduction of who I am and what it is that I do. My name is Claire Brandon, MD. I’m a psychiatrist, double board-certified in psychiatry and consultation-liaison psychiatry, with nearly a
What if your 2026 reset didn’t start with discipline—but with your nervous system? This week’s newsletter breaks down the gut–brain habits to start now (and what to let go of) so change actually sticks. If January resolutions never last for you, this approach may finally feel different.
A GI Psychiatry Guide to Protecting the Gut–Brain Axis Why the Holidays Disrupt the Gut–Brain Axis The holidays very often make us think of time off from work and relaxing time with family, but psychologically and physiologically, they can be one of the most activating times of year
Why does eating the same food provoke different physical responses when you have disorders of the gut-brain interaction (DGBI)?
Welcome to the GI Psychiatrist Newsletter. This month is a preview of what is to come in 2026. The December newsletters will feature focused tips and news related to the gut-brain axis for the holiday season. This month, we'll be covering eating during the holiday season, how to
This is The GI Psychiatrist, a brand new newsletter by Claire Brandon, MD at Whole Body Psychiatry, just getting started. Things will be up and running here shortly, but you can subscribe in the meantime if you'd like to stay up to date and receive emails when new
