Ever experienced being in the middle of a stressful life situation where you felt worse for the first time ever? I bet you did and like you, everyone else did too. Let’s find out how being anxious can possibly cause you to have diarrhea.
What is Anxiety?
Everyone experiences being anxious at times as it is a normal part of our lives. Anxiety, as defined by the American Psychiatric association, is a normal response of the body when exposed to stress. It is our body’s way of alerting us that there is possible danger, and we should act fast and pay attention to it. It sometimes causes your body to react by increasing your heart rate, sweating and even increase your energy. Here are the other signs and symptoms of anxiety:
- Rapid breathing or hyperventilation
- Feeling restless, tense or wound up
- Having hot and cold flushes
- Shaking
- Feeling weak or tired
- Having a sense of impending doom
- Thinking too much or repeated thoughts
- Stomach and digestion issues
Anxiety is normal if its experienced occasionally. One should think if you are growing and becoming anxious more often than usually. Daily presence of anxiety may be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders occurs when one’s life has been greatly affected by the feeling of anxiousness preventing you to from talking with friends and family, sometimes even your performance at work and school. If you think you might have an anxiety disorder, don’t be afraid to talk to a psychologist, therapist or psychiatrist as they are definitely helpful in treating your condition.
Can Anxiety Cause Diarrhea
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America or ADAA, when a person becomes anxious the body immediately reacts to it. It then releases hormones and chemicals from the brain that affects different parts of the body. This leads to some instances where the digestive system is affected by it, disrupting its normal flora causing chemical imbalance leading to bouts of watery stools or diarrhea.
A study found that people who were diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea were proved to have higher levels of interleukin-1 beta, an inflammatory compound. Interleukin 1 beta can disrupt the protective barrier of the intestines causing malabsorption of water and sodium leading to pain and diarrhea.
Other causes of Diarrhea
Anxiety may cause diarrhea but there are other conditions to consider too when you are experiencing diarrhea. Here are the other causes of diarrhea:
Food poisoning – improper handling and storage of food can harbor bacteria and viruses that may harm your body and cause diarrhea by targeting your intestines.
Parasite – like giardiasis which can be easily acquired through drinking of contaminated water. This parasite specifically targets the lining of the intestine, inhibiting absorption of water leading to diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome – it is a common disorder of the digestive system and is often long-term. The cause of it is still unknown. Symptoms of IBS are stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. It is said that it does not pose as a serious threat to one’s health.
Anxiety and Diarrhea Treatment
There are many causes of diarrhea and anxiety is one of it. Here are some treatment regimen and tips to prevent you from having an anxiety-related diarrhea ever again:
1. Psychotherapy – this is the best way to identify the stressor or the cause of the anxiety and also to manage it properly. Psychiatrists and psychologist are there to provide the right treatment or therapy for your situation. Therapists often use cognitive behavioral therapy for treatment of patients who have anxiety problems or disorder.
2. Mindfulness – Relieving your body from stress and practicing some relaxation techniques will help your body to be calm. You may try to practice yoga, guided meditation or even a 10-minute mindfulness exercise every day. You will see how it will lessen your worries and let your body just relax.
3. Avoid foods that are irritable to the stomach – There are many foods that can be irritating to the stomach and intestine which can further aggravate your diarrhea especially when you are being anxious. Refrain from eating spicy foods, caffeine and lactose containing foods as these are popular for being a gastric irritant.