Diarrhea due to anxiety: why does it happen?

It is not a trivial issue. Diarrhea due to anxiety is annoying and even problematic. There are many people who, at the least opportune moment, are forced to interrupt what they are doing to go to the bathroom. Something like this can be disabling, but the truth is that this intestinal alteration is usually accompanied by other associated symptoms.

Stomach pain, tremors, dizziness, palpitations… Anxiety disorders show multiple clinical signs that are as extensive as they are complex, in which intestinal alterations are a constant. This is a condition that appears in adults and is especially common in children.. It is true, however, that first of all it is advisable to rule out other associated diseases.

However, our emotions, The accumulated stress and anxiety that stirs up everything and overactive us have their favorite focus in the stomach and intestines.. We have all heard about this brain-gut axis and its link with more than one psychological problem. We analyze it below.

Diarrhea due to anxiety: what is the cause?

In the pharmaceutical industry, treatments for both diarrhea and constipation offer million-dollar figures every year. Intestinal disorders are one of the most common health problems. And as we well know, the causes can be multiple.

Now, diarrhea due to anxiety usually has its own distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from other intestinal disorders.

They tend to be more punctual in time. It is very common, for example, that a few days before an exam or any other situation that one qualifies as stressful, this intestinal decomposition is experienced. Besides, Diarrhea due to stress or anxiety does not come alone, but is accompanied by other physical and psychological discomforts (increased worry, nervousness, insomnia, etc.).

Let’s now know the associated causes.

Physiological changes aimed at facing a supposed “threat”

Anxiety responds to an instinctive mechanism that prepares us to react to an event., stimulus or circumstance that the brain processes as threatening. That worry, that restlessness in our mind translates into a hormonal response: cortisol, adrenaline, dopamine are released… The objective is to activate the body to act.

This causes the brain to suddenly stop prioritizing the digestive system. The muscles that allow us to fight or escape are important. And for this very reason, What it does is reduce blood flow to the stomach and intestines to prioritize it in the arms, legs…

These digestive disorders result in cramps, stomach pain and also diarrhea.. Likewise, the evacuation of feces and urine helps the body to be lighter and ready to act in the face of that “supposed threat.”

Anxiety, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome

Diarrhea due to anxiety can be experienced punctually (the most common), but it can also arise as a problem that goes beyond two months and becomes a constant. In this way, we could find ourselves with another type of chronic reality associated with irritable bowel.

It is very common for patients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or depression to experience irritable bowel syndrome.

Thus, research work such as those carried out at the University of Xingtai (China) tells us something remarkable. This condition appears mainly in women and, beyond the association with psychological problems mentioned above, there is no morphological change in the intestines nor biochemical abnormalities that explain this problem.

Another study published in The Lancet offers interesting data. Anxiety diarrhea associated with irritable bowel syndrome could be explained by a dysfunction between the communication between the brain and the intestine. Anxiety itself can make the first person understand that there is a problem in the digestive system and that one way to deal with this anomaly is to evacuate the intestine (diarrhea).

Now, it is important to know how to differentiate diarrhea due to common and specific anxiety from that associated with irritable bowel. We analyze it.

Symptoms of irritable bowel (chronic condition) other than anxiety diarrhea

In irritable bowel syndrome, the person suffers from periods of diarrhea and also constipation.Pain and cramps in the abdomen which can last days or weeks. Intestinal gas appears. Tiredness.SwellingPain and intestinal disorders intensify when eating potentially inflammatory foods such as wine, coffee, chocolate, dairy products, etc.

How to treat this problem?

Diarrhea due to anxiety can be very disabling. It is, above all, when the person suffers from the aforementioned alteration: irritable bowel syndrome.

The most important thing in all cases is to consult with the doctor and receive a good diagnosis to rule out other associated diseases.

On the other hand, when it comes to these symptoms associated with anxiety, it is always appropriate to take some advice into account.

What can I do if I tend to have digestive and intestinal disorders associated with anxiety?

Anxiety is managed by coping with everyday stress. Having control of our emotions before they dominate us means having more than one coping tool at hand.

Here are some examples:

Let’s learn to rationalize fears.Let’s maintain a compassionate and non-threatening internal dialogue. Let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill, let’s focus on the present without anticipating risks that do not yet exist. Let’s learn to act on what worries us and not just react to what happens to us.Let’s accept that we can’t have everything under control. Uncertainty is part of life. Let’s learn to rest, to offer ourselves moments of enjoyment. Techniques such as deep breathing or meditation can help us.Let’s avoid inflammatory foods such as coffee, dairy products, alcohol… Infusions of mint, anise or sage are very suitable for our intestine.

Although diarrhea due to stress is always annoying, it is still a symptom of a psychological reality that we can and should manage. Let’s keep it in mind.

You might be interested…