Will stress cause diarrhea?

Stress is something everyone encounters at some point in time. In fact, it’s a normal response to situations we encounter, even daily. Stress can be helpful to us, but in a large dose or an ongoing situation, stress can cause negative responses in the body and hurt overall health. While stress doesn’t cause diarrhea in every person who experiences high or chronic stress, it can work for many people. Researchers believe that the “gut-brain” or enteric nervous system responds to the release of stress hormones in the body, triggered by the fight or flight response. These hormones have been found to cause slow motility in one part of the digestive system and movement in the large intestine, resulting in diarrhea.

In other studies, stress has been shown to cause cramping in the intestines, which contributes to diarrhea. For those with irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, diarrhea caused by stress may happen even more frequently than it does for people who experience stress and do not have IBS. Stress comes with an array of other physical symptoms, including:

• Changes in appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Impaired immunity causes you to become sick more often.

If you’re experiencing diarrhea that you believe is caused by stress, it’s important to talk with your doctor. They will rule out any potential underlying health conditions and make recommendations about how to address stress-induced diarrhea. This may include using medications that soothe the spasms triggered by stress in the intestines, changes in diet, and talking with a therapist.

Because stress can also contribute to other health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular health risks, incorporating a stress management program is important for overall health and well-being. Working with a therapist can help you create goals for improving stress, identify and address specific triggers, provide you with personalized recommendations for a stress management plan, and a safe place to process stressful events and situations you may encounter.

If stress has become overwhelming and you are having thoughts of self-harm, episodes of diarrhea that occur with stress regularly or using substances to address stress in your life, visit your doctor as soon as possible.