What is anxiety diarrhea?

Anxiety is a mental health condition that can lead to physical symptoms, such as diarrhea. When you experience stress and anxiety, your body releases hormones that may affect different parts of your body, including your gastrointestinal tract.

When you’re faced with a stressful situation or feel chronic nervousness and worry, you may experience anxiety or stress-induced diarrhea.

Read on to learn more about the effects of anxiety on your digestive system, the causes of anxiety diarrhea, and how you can manage the condition.

What causes anxiety diarrhea? 

Anxiety diarrhea is when you have watery and loose stool triggered by prolonged and chronic stress.

A 2021 study of high school students in Korea found that 24.5% of participants with chronic diarrhea also had anxiety. 

Diarrhea caused by anxiety and stress occurs because of the gut-brain connection. This links your central nervous system to your enteric nervous system (ENS), which controls the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and comprises up to 600 million neurons. This means your digestive system and gut respond to emotions in a similar way as your brain. 

When you’re anxious or stressed, your body releases hormones and chemicals that can enter into your digestive tract and affect your digestion and gut flora, which is the bacteria inside the intestines.

Other gastrointestinal symptoms that stress and anxiety can cause include:

• indigestion
• nausea
• heartburn 
• vomiting 
• constipation 

Due to the gut-brain axis, problems in your digestive tract can also lead to stress and mental health conditions such as anxiety.

Some triggers for anxiety can include:

• stress
• an unhealthy diet
• skipping meals
• caffeine 

If anxiety symptoms are impacting your day-to-day life, consider speaking with a healthcare professional to determine what treatment methods may be best for you.

What medications can help with anxiety diarrhea?

Diarrhea can be a physical effect of anxiety and chronic stress. To manage anxiety diarrhea, it’s best to address the root cause. 

Medications for anxiety include:

Tricyclic antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants are effective at treating depression and anxiety. These are usually taken in oral form as a capsule, tablet, or liquid.

Examples include:

• clomipramine (Anafranil)
• imipramine (Tofranil)
• nortriptyline (Pamelor)
• protriptyline (Vivactil)
• trimipramine (Surmontil)

It’s important to know that these medications can cause side effects such as dizziness and fatigue.

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)

SSRIs are one of the most common forms of treatment prescribed for anxiety and are usually taken in oral form. Examples include escitalopram (Lexapro) and fluoxetine (Prozac).

These medications can result in side effects such as:

• nausea
• dry mouth
• constipation

Benzodiazepines

A healthcare professional may prescribe benzodiazepines to help you manage anxiety symptoms. However, these drugs have a high potential for dependency. Examples include diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan).

Over-the-counter medications

To manage diarrhea, you can take over-the-counter medications, such as loperamide (Imodium) and Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

However, these medications will only address the symptom of diarrhea, not the anxiety that is triggering it.

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Other treatment options

Several other treatment options can help with anxiety. These include:

• therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and talk therapy
• lifestyle measures, such as following a healthy and balanced diet
• mindfulness practices, such as meditation, yoga, and journaling
• natural remedies, such as drinking lavender and chamomile tea

If you are concerned about diarrhea due to anxiety, consider speaking with a healthcare professional who can help you determine the best treatment methods for you.

What can help reduce anxiety diarrhea? 

You can help reduce anxiety-induced diarrhea by managing your anxiety symptoms through lifestyle measures, such as:

• avoiding your triggers for stress and anxiety
• eating a balanced diet
• practicing meditation and mindfulness
• drinking lots of liquids, including water and electrolyte replacement drinks
• taking probiotics
• avoiding alcohol
• avoiding eating greasy and fatty foods

Can anxiety cause irritable bowel syndrome? 

Anxiety and stress may be linked with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a bowel condition characterized by a group of symptoms that include:

• diarrhea
• constipation
• stomach cramping
• abdominal pain

Researchers have studied the connection between mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, and IBS. A 2021 study of more than 7,000 people found that 40% of participants with IBS also had anxiety. 

An older study from 2013 observed the presence of cytokines in people with anxiety and depression. Cytokines are molecules released by your immune system that help manage inflammation. The study suggests that anxiety and depression may cause an imbalance of cytokines and lead to a worsening of IBS symptoms.

When should you be worried about anxiety diarrhea?

Consider speaking to a healthcare professional if anxiety and stress are causing chronic diarrhea and are resulting in any of the following:

• you have had diarrhea for more than 2 days
• your stool is bloody 
• you experience vomiting
• you are dehydrated
• you have a fever

Summary

Anxiety is a mental health condition that can also result in physical symptoms, such as diarrhea. 

If you experience anxiety diarrhea or stress-related diarrhea, there are several ways you can manage the condition. This includes:

• medication to treat anxiety
• medication to manage diarrhea
• therapy to help you manage your anxiety symptoms
• lifestyle measures to manage both your anxiety and improve your gut health

If anxiety-induced diarrhea lasts for more than 2 days, you have a fever, and you are experiencing symptoms of dehydration, consider speaking to a healthcare professional.

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