Stress and Anxiety Diarrhea

 How your mood can affect diarrhoea 

We conducted an in-depth study with over 2 thousand sufferers of frequent and chronic diarrhoea from over 14 different countries and they shared their experiences with us.

•  42%  said they put their diarrhoea down to stress and anxiety.

•  78%  said they felt generally stressed.

•  53%  said they were more stressed today than a decade ago.

Stress can be one of the causes of diarrhoea It can take its toll on digestion. After all, if your life and routine are out of their normal rhythm, your body could be knocked out of rhythm too.

When you experience stress and get anxious or nervous, your body produces adrenaline and other hormones, which speed up the function of your nervous system. This can make some of your muscles work too fast. If the muscles in your intestines speed up, the natural rhythm of your digestion will speed up too and cause an upset stomach.

Faster digestion means your intestines absorb less fluid, making your stools more frequent and watery - what we know as diarrhoea. Just a small reduction in the fluid you absorb can be enough to bring on a bout of diarrhoea. And, if you suffer from IBS, you’re more likely to experience stress-related diarrhoea more frequently.

 Common causes of stress 

Here are just a few things that might make you stressed, anxious or nervous :

• Important social events

• Being overly busy

• Exams and interviews

• Work

• Public speaking

 How to deal with stress 

We all get stressed now and then. Sometimes, diarrhoea can be your body’s way of telling you that you’re under pressure. But it can, of course, make life even more difficult. So it’s best to deal with the causes of your stress in order to help manage your digestive health.

Read our tips on how to deal with stress

 How to treat Diarrhoea from Stress & Anxiety 

Having diarrhoea can be stressful in itself, especially if you’re already feeling under pressure. So don’t hesitate to treat it straight away. IMODIUM^® is the best diarrhoea treatment. It works in harmony with your body to help restore the digestive system to its normal pace – and giving you one less thing to feel anxious about.

Learn how to Treat Diarrhea