Eructation Treated with Single-Session CBT: A Case Illustration

Chronic gastrointestinal disorders are disruptive to patients physically and psychologically, and benefit from multidisciplinary care, including targeted psychological interventions. This case study details a case of a 42-year-old Caucasian female with idiopathic eructation, who was identified as having psychological contributors to her 3-year history of GI symptoms. Following extensive medical testing, she was diagnosed with excessive, likely supragastric belching and referred for psychological care. She noted initial reticence to psychological approaches but was offered psychoeducation and CBT interventions targeting eructation disorder and anxiety. Although the patient paused treatment after only a single session of psychological contact (including assessment and brief intervention), her GI symptoms effectively resolved with application of anxiolytic breathing, psychoeducation, and other cognitive behavioral techniques, suggesting rapid efficacy of CBT interventions, when diligently applied.