“I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it,” or, “the visuals of the famine were gut-wrenching,” or, “I felt nauseous right before the presentation.” The expressions in italics are some we use quite commonly in daily parlance. There are other similar expressions too, like, ‘knots in the stomach,’ or ‘made my stomach turn’. Are these mere expressions, or hint towards something else? All of these hint towards a connection between the emotions (generated in the limbic system situated in the brain) and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. So, are your emotions and gut connected? Most importantly, can mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and depression, cause gastrointestinal and stomach distress? The answer is yes, as per Harvard Health.
Connection Between Gut & Emotions
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Your gut is sensitive to emotions, Harvard Health reported.
- Hence, your emotions can trigger symptoms in your stomach. This is the reason why that nervousness right before a big event feels in your stomach.
- This can be reflected by the fact that just the thought of eating can trigger the release of digestive juices in your stomach.
- However, this works both ways. Not just your emotions can trigger stomach symptoms, your gut issues can have an impact on your brain too.
- If we consider mental health, then a troubled mind can cause a troubled stomach. Similarly, a troubled stomach can lead to a troubled mind.
This is a big insight into why many people ‘feel nauseous’ when caught in an anxiety-inducing situation. Also, some suffer from intestinal pain when stressed out.
Also read: Is It Nervousness Or Anxiety? How To Tell The Difference
Connection Between Gut & Anxiety
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Since your brain and GI tract are connected, the same goes for mental health issues and the latter. This means, when you are stressed out, anxious, or depressed, it reflects on your stomach.
- Hence, your anxiety can give you digestive distress. Similarly, the distress in the stomach can give you anxiety.
- This can be reflected by the fact that many people suffer from stomach and gastrointestinal issues. However, when they get themselves checked, no physical cause is diagnosed. In such cases, the contribution of mental health factors shouldn’t be overlooked.
- That stomach pain or GI distress might not be due to a physical cause. However, this doesn’t mean that pain is in your head. Hence, if you experience any issue, get yourself checked -- both your physical as well as your mental health. Your psychological and physical factors might have combined to give to that pain.
Now that you know that your physical health has a direct connection with your mental health. Hence, you need to focus on the latter to take care of the former and vice versa.
Symptoms Of Mental Health Issues
Stress, anxiety, and depression are among the most common mental health issues. Let us know their symptoms to take care of them promptly.
Stress Symptoms
Following are the symptoms of stress (as per the UK’s National Health Service) you must look out for:
- Constant worrying
- Irritability
- Forgetfulness and difficulty in concentrating
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Trouble in making decisions
- Change in sleeping patterns
- Change in appetite
You might experience physical symptoms as well, such as:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Stomach issues
- Faster heartbeat
- Pain in the chest
Anxiety Symptoms
Following are the anxiety symptoms as per USA’s National Library of Medicine:
- Anxious thoughts make you restless and tense. They can be so intense to interfere with your everyday life.
- Behavioural symptoms such as avoiding activities that you used to enjoy earlier.
- You might also experience physical symptoms such as dizziness, pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, etc.
Depression Symptoms
Now, let us go through some of the symptoms of depression (source: UK NHS):
- The feeling of sadness that persists for a long time
- Continuous low mood
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling of guilt
- Irritability
- Lack of interest in activities you enjoyed earlier
- In extreme cases, it can even trigger suicidal thoughts
If you suffer from any stomach-related issues, get yourself checked. If the doctor doesn’t diagnose any physical health disease, it might be something with the brain. Pay attention to your symptoms and take notice if they hint at any mental health disorder. If that is the case, get yourself checked by a mental health professional. Following the diagnosis, the expert will start the appropriate treatment. Timely intervention is crucial when it comes to dealing with any health issue.
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