Perhaps these days, you are experiencing more and more pressure on your daily responsibilities, leading to stress. Also, you find yourself going to the bathroom more because of an upset stomach. Then, a question pops. Can stress cause diarrhea? Is my anxiety causing me to poop more and more?
The answer is true. A wide variety of scenarios can cause diarrhea. And this includes stress and anxiety. It is because of the physical changes that occur in our body when we’re stressed out. There is a link between our emotions and our digestive system.
In this article, we’ll get serious, and the answer is that stress anxiety causes diarrhea. We’ll go in-depth into what are stress and anxiety and what causes them. Furthermore, why do the two impact our stomachs? We’ll also give ways to manage and prevent diarrhea. Finally, all the helpful tips to manage stress and anxiety for good mental health. Let’s get started.
What Is Stress?
Stress refers to a state of physical or emotional tension. It is usually brought on by something that you are worried about. Also, when your body perceives anything as scary. It is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats. Everyone experiences it to some degree.
Stress is not always bad. It is especially true if it is short-lived. It is a normal response that can support us to respond quickly to a threat.
What Causes Stress?
- Family
- Relationships
- Financial
- Work
- Health
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion defined as feelings of tension and worried thoughts. It can also introduce physical changes like increased blood pressure. People with anxiety disorder have constant intrusive thoughts and concerns. They may avoid specific situations due to worry. They may also have physical symptoms. Such symptoms are sweating, trembling, dizziness, and a rapid heartbeat.
It is not the same as fear. Yet, they are often used interchangeably. It is also considered future-oriented. It is a long-acting response broadly focused on a diffused threat. Fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, short-lived response to a clear, specific threat.
What Causes Anxiety?
- Stress
- Genetic factors
- Personality type
- Trauma
- Racism
- Sex
- Gender dysphoria
- Medical causes
- Life events
- Medications
Stress Diarrhea: Can Stress Affect Our Bowels?
It is common for our gut to reflect how we’re feeling. And if we’re feeling stressed, it can influence how we digest our food. For some, stress can cause you to have more stools or diarrhea. Diarrhea is when we have loose, watery poop a few times a day.
Anxiety may cause people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) to have more diarrhea. Stress, on the other hand, can also introduce diarrhea in people who have no digestive problems at all.
Why Does Stress Give You Diarrhea?
Experiencing diarrhea when you are stressed is directly connected to our body’s programmed stress response. This response is termed a “fight or flight” reaction.
The fight or flight reaction is an quick response to stress. When experienced, our body is responding to a perceived threat. The body reacts with a cascade of physical changes that result from the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The result? An elevation in heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and digestion.
The fight-or-flight reaction is commendable in helping humans survive as a species. It is especially true back when people faced things like hungry lions. Yet, this same reaction has become troublesome in modern times. It is when many of our stressors are not acute yet ongoing.
When faced with something we perceive as threatening, our body reacts with different physical changes, including digestive changes. For one, when our stress response is activated, our digestion slows so that our body redirects resources elsewhere. In times of the reaction, the gut and small intestine slow. Yet, the colon’s activity increases. As a result, you might deal with gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea.
Can Anxiety Cause Diarrhea?
If you tend to have diarrhea around stressful or anxiety-inducing situations and events, you are not alone. It’s pretty standard to experience stomach troubles with anxiety.
There is a linkage between the gut and the brain. It is called the gut microbiota brain axis. It is a bidirectional network between a person’s brain and the gut microbiota that permits the brain to affect gut movement.
As per the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, when a person is anxious, the body elicit hormones and chemicals. These can go the digestive tract and disrupt the gut flora. The result? A chemical imbalance that directs to diarrhea.
A study involving indivuals with IBS with diarrhea found that participants also had anxiety and higher levels of specific inflammatory substances in the body than those who did not.
Specifically, the researchers ruled that those with anxiety had higher levels of a compound known as interleukin-1 beta. It can alter the intestine’s protective barrier, which can cause pain and affect the intestine’s capacity to absorb water and sodium.
How Do You Stop Diarrhea From Stress and Anxiety?
1. Avoid food that can make diarrhea worse.
Typical food triggers that exacerbate diarrhea are dairy and fatty foods. Also, alcohol.
Rich or spicy foods can also add additional strain on our digestive system. Both can potentially worsen and prolong diarrhea.
2. Find ways to alleviate stress.
Mindfulness-based techniques can be especially helpful in reducing stress. These are meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises. If your anxiety levels are very high, you might benefit from therapy. There are also medications for it.
3. Keep your body hydrated.
Drink plenty of fluids. Water, clear juice, broth, electrolyte solutions, and tea are helpful. In some cases, medications to delay diarrhea may also help.
4. Eat small amounts of carbohydrates.
Eating bland carbohydrates is a valuable means of getting fluid in the body. Such examples are cooked rice and pasta. Bland carbohydrates are also easily digestible.
5. Keep track of patterns.
If you notice that you experience diarrhea every time you have an exam, you might want to begin relaxing days in advance. In a way, it helps our body to deal with stress more effectively.
6. Psychotherapy
Talk therapy can help a person rule out anxiety. It aids in learning techniques to manage and reduce it. Therapists may employ techniques such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy.
7. Complementary health
Stress relieving and relaxation techniques can assist a person to feel better. Examples can include meditation, yoga, tai chi, and acupuncture. Hypnotherapy may also decrease symptoms of stomach upset, bloating, and stomach pain.
When Should You Worry About Diarrhea?
Diarrhea from stress doesn’t last for more than a few days. It usually subsides once the stress is gone.
Yet, sometimes, diarrhea can be a symptom of a more serious health condition. You should connect with a doctor if you have:
- Diarrhea that lasts for more than a few days or frequent episodes of diarrhea
- Fever, vomiting, or abdominal pain
- Blood in your stool
- Weight loss
- A family history of IBD, like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.
Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety
1. Get more physical activity.
If you’re stressed, moving your body constantly may decrease stress levels. It can also put you in a better mood.
Aerobic exercise as low as two days per week can significantly lessen overall perceived stress and perceived stress due to uncertainty. An exercise routine can also significantly improve depression.
Regular exercise has been long proven to better symptoms of common mental health dilemmas such as anxiety and depression.
If you’re currently inactive, you may start with gentle activities. These can look like taking a walk or biking. Choosing an activity you enjoy may help boost your chances of sticking to it in the long run.
2. Eat a balanced diet.
Your diet can influence every aspect of your health. And this includes your mental health. A 2022 review of research suggests that individuals who opt for a diet high in ultra-processed foods along with added sugar are more likely to undergo higher perceived stress levels.
Being chronically stressed may also lead you to overeat. Further, to reach for highly palatable foods. In doing so, you may harm your overall health and mood.
Not eating enough nutrient-dense whole food may increase your risk of deficiencies in essential nutrients. It includes nutrients critical for stress and moods. For example, magnesium and B vitamins.
Eat more whole foods to ensure your body is adequately cared for. In turn, you will improve your resilience to stress. Whole foods options are vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, nuts and seeds.
3. Minimize phone use and screen time.
Smartphones, computers, and tablets are indispensable in our lives. It is a considerable argument if not. Yet, too much use of them may boost your stress levels.
Excessive smartphone use is linked with increased stress levels and mental health disorders. Spending too much time in front of a screen is also related to lower psychological well-being. It is proven both in adults and kids.
Furthermore, screen time may negatively affect sleep. Poor sleep can exacerbate stress.
4. Try journaling
Journaling may aid in lessening stress and anxiety. It can provide a positive outlet for your thoughts and emotions.
Expressive writing, or therapeutic writing, can support people. They do this in managing chronic conditions. It includes mental health conditions like depression.
Regular journaling is linked to a higher quality of life. It is also associated with more proactive self-care behaviors and other healthful actions. For one, taking prescribed medications.
5. Reduce your caffeine intake.
Caffeine is a chemical. It is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks. It stimulates our central nervous system.
Consuming too much of it may worsen anxiety. It may also harm your sleep. Thus, increasing your stress and anxiety symptoms.
People have different tolerance for how much caffeine they can endure. If caffeine makes you jittery or anxious, cut back on it. Replace it with decaffeinated coffee, herbal tea, or water.
Caffeine has health benefits when consumed in moderation. It is advised to keep caffeine intake under 400 mg daily. It equates to 4-5 cups of coffee.
Still, people sensitive to caffeine may experience increased anxiety and stress than recommended doses.
6. Spend time with your friends and family.
Social support from friends and families is critical. It may help you get through stressful times and cope with it.
Those who lack support from friends, family, and romantic partners have depressive symptoms and perceived stress. These also experience loneliness.
Having a social support system is vital for your mental health. If you’re feeling alone and don’t have many relationships, there are social support groups. Try joining a club or sports team. You can also volunteer for a cause that is important to you.
7. Create boundaries and learn to say no.
Not all stresses are within your control. Yet, some are. Putting too much on your plate may boost your stress load. It will also cut the amount of time you can spend on self-care.
One way to help lessen stress and protect your mental health is by saying “no” more often. It is especially true if you take on more than you can handle. Juggling too many responsibilities may leave you feeling overwhelmed.
Be selective about what you take on. Say no to things that will necessarily add to your load.
Create boundaries. Do so with people you know that will add to your stress levels. It is a healthy way to protect your well-being.
8. Avoid procrastination
Another way to take control of your stress course is to stay on top of your priorities.
Procrastination may harm your productivity. It can leave you scrambling to catch up. As a result, you are stressed. It can then negatively affect your health and sleep quality.
If you procrastinate regularly, it may aid in making a to-do list. Ensure the tasks are organized by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines. Then, get to work. Work your way down the list. Also, do not forget to give yourself chunks of uninterrupted time.
9. Yoga
Yoga is a popular strategy of stress relief and exercise. All age groups love it.
Yoga has a goal of joining your body and mind. It does so by boosting body and breath awareness.
Yoga helps in reducing stress and anxiety. It can also encourage psychological well-being. These benefits are due to the activity’s effect on our nervous system and stress response.
Yoga aids in lowering cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate. It does so while increasing levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is a neurotransmitter that’s low in people with mood disorders.
10. Cuddle
Human touch may have a calming effect. It can help you better cope with stress.
For one, studies show that positive physical contact may help relieve stress and loneliness. These types of contact assist in releasing oxytocin and lowering cortisol; in turn, they help lower blood pressure and heart rate. The two are physical symptoms of stress.
11. Spend time in nature.
Spending more time outside may aid in decreasing stress.
Particularly spending time in green spaces. These are parks and forests and being immersed in nature. Both are healthy ways to manage stress.
Spending as small as 10 minutes in a natural setting may help better mental well-being and happiness. It alleviates perceived stress.
12. Consider Supplements
Several vitamins and minerals are vital in our body’s stress response. Also, in our mood regulation.
As such, a lack in one or more nutrients may influence your mental health. It can also do the same in our ability to cope with stress.
Certain dietary supplements may help lessen stress and improve mood.
For example, your magnesium levels may deplete when faced with chronic stress. This mineral plays a critical role in our body’s stress response. You may want to guarantee that you’re getting enough each day. Supplementing with magnesium has been proven to improve stress in chronically stressed people.
Rhodiola, ashwagandha, B-vitamins, and L-theanine. These may also lessen stress. Yet more research is needed to rule out their potential benefits better.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Whether Stress and Anxiety Can Cause Diarrhea.
1. What does stress poop look like?
During stress, our body may release cortisol, which affects the digestive system. It can direct to loose and watery stools. Stress can also harm the absorption of nutrients and bile production. It can alter the color of stool. It may range from greenish to yellowish. It is because of a faster transit time in the gut.
2. Can stress cause diarrhea and vomiting?
Stress can cause both diarrhea and vomiting. The exact mechanism as to how stress triggers vomiting is not fully understood. Yet, it is also related to the body’s physiological response to stress.
3. How do I know if my diarrhea is from stress?
Reflect on whether you have been experiencing heightened stress or anxiety recently. Stress-related diarrhea occurs in conjunction with other signs of stress. Symptoms can include tension, worry, or feelings of being overwhelmed.
4. Why do I have diarrhea but not sick?
One possible reason for it is food intolerance. Intolerance to certain foods, such as lactose and gluten, can lead to diarrhea.
Anxiety and stress at alarming levels are indeed harmful to our health. As we just richly discussed, it can cause diarrhea, too. We must find ways towards its treatment and management. Remember, you may experience them, but they are not a part of who you are. You can overcome them. Let us be a part of it.
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Author Tracy Gorman
I am Tracy Gorman, an experienced writer dedicated to producing compelling and informative content. With a deep understanding of diverse subjects such as lifestyle, beauty, and wellness, I create valuable articles for everyone.
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