Digestive Problems

[chanel07]

How many of you suffer from digestive problems as a result of your anxiety?

What kind of digestive problems do you suffer with?

[northstar]

hi chanel, i tend to believe that anxiety is often a result of digestive problems, not that you have digestive problems because of anxiety. the anxiety & digestive problems are your body's way of telling you it's not happy with your diet.

my own anxiety problems were solved by improving my diet and taking care of the way i was eating.

[Charlene]

Hi chanel,

My belief is that anxiety disorder is predominantly caused by our way of thinking and not caused by what foods we eat. While eating a poor diet often causes a host of anxiety symptoms, it is not necessarily the symptom which is the cause of the disorder, but rather our reaction to those symptoms. If we are upset, tense, angry or anxious even the best and healthiest food choices will not digest properly. This can cause bloating, gas, cramping, nausea and diarrhea.

I think it's fantastic :) that northstar (and countless others) solved all their anxiety problems through eating a well balanced diet.

However, I am in agreement with you, that anxiety can cause digestive problems.

[CindyE]

Years ago, when I was newly divorced, I got diarrhea every time I had to talk to my ex on the phone! Nowadays, if things are stressful and I have lots of anxiety, my stomach gurgles a lot, like I'm hungry, but eating doesn't make it stop.

[Henry2128]

when my anxiety was bad my stomach was always churning, tense, feeling sick ,diarrhea , constipation. At the time i was diagnosed with chronic IBS. now my anx is under control i have no problems at all. My diet is exactly the same.

[Robbed]

i tend to believe that anxiety is often a result of digestive problems, not that you have digestive problems because of anxiety.


However, I am in agreement with you, that anxiety can cause digestive problems.

I DEFINITELY believe that anxiety causes GI problems, and not vice versa. Unless, of course, you obsess over these problems and think they are the result of something MUCH more serious. Anyway, as an example, about 13-14 years ago, I had this stupid idea that I was going to become a doctor. So I took premed courses in school, and took the MCAT. In case you don't know, the MCAT is the medical college admission test, a comprehensive exam that all future med school students MUST take. It tests reading comprehension, general sciences, essay writing, and biological sciences. It is a gruelling, all day exam that premed student generally fear. Anyway, after taking the first section of the exam (which was reading comprehension), I went to the bathroom. When I was in the men's room, I was quite surprised to see all the toilets full (because guys typically only use the toilets for number 2). You could tell that everyone in the stalls was sitting on the toilet. And all kinds of nasty, poopy sorts of noises were coming from the stalls (as well as toilet flushing to try to cover it up). These guys were NOT feeling good. I don't think this happened to these people because they ate pizza the night before instead of low-carb tofu. Rather, it was happening because of stress over this important test. Of course, this is a somewhat extreme example. But pretty much ANYONE can tell you that GI discomfort is a symptom of anxiety. I don't care how well that person eats.

[JennySteal08]

I believe that anxiety causes digestive problems. I have had problems with it before. I've had periods of anxiety where I would wake up and feel nauseous from the get go and would immediately get sick. In this case all that would come up was stomach acid, which is nasty. After I would feel really empty, but not really feel like eating. I have gone a whole week like this only only eating soup and crackers and drinking Sprite or Ginger Ale. I have found that by supper I might be able to eat some "real" food, but the next morning I would be leaned over the toilet once again. I have also had diarrhea during these times to.

I have found that I have to just tell myself to calm down. It is no fun to go through all that mess just because of anxiety. I have to get back in the right mind set. At times I have realized that I had forgotten to take my meds for a while and I think that had a lot to do with it. I do believe my meds help me a lot.

[moggy]

i have to agree with the people who suggest that it's anxiety first, other symptoms second - most of what i've read suggests that anxiety results from our reactions to events around us and that those reactions are because of the way we interpret the situation - for example, if i was going to a party, i'm sure that most people would just see it as a night out with other people and maybe an opportunity to have some fun, whereas i think i see it as an opportunity to be judged by others and to make some social faux pas, so i get anxious and then i start to tremble or feel tense or feel nauseous - i think it's my thoughts that trigger the anxiety and then the other symptoms follow

[Hanino]

I am in 100% agreeance with Northstar. Digestive enzymes are everything. Having a bad diet the stomach cannot not produce digestive enzymes that are required for extracting proteins and other nutrients from the foods we eat. Certain foods contribute and are needed for the stomach to produce these digestive enzymes. Lacking digestive enzymes nutrients are not absorbed into the body rather they just pass though the body unused.

A bad diet coupled with stress and wham the stomach is affected which eventually the rest of the body is affected due to a lack of nutrients. Isn’t the stomach one of the first organs affected by stress?

Have a look at the protein calculator, link below. Enter your info, your daily protein needs will be displayed, then total up your daily protein intake then consider a lack of digestive enzymes.

http://www.healthcalculators.org/calcul ... rotein.asp (http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/protein.asp)

Hanino