Can emotions trigger IBS?
If you suffer from IBS, you may be well aware that your feelings and emotions can impact symptoms; especially in uncertain times when all of your emotions are heightened. Some emotional IBS triggers include:
- Low mood
- Anxiety/panic.
Read on to find out how these emotions affect IBS and what can be done to ease the effect.
1. Low mood
For many people, low mood and IBS are closely related. Although it is not thought that either condition causes the other, a low mood can often exacerbate IBS symptoms, and vice versa, which can be a very frustrating cycle.
Sometimes the symptoms of IBS can cause a level of distress which may result in low mood. Some people may be afraid that symptoms, such as diarrhoea or stomach cramps, may flare up in public places. Therefore, they may avoid going out with friends, or to school or work.
People may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed due to fear of their symptoms, resulting in reduced social life and feelings of irritability and despair, all of which are symptoms associated with low mood.
Likewise, having a low mood may influence the way people deal with IBS. They may have no motivation to bother changing diet or habits to ease digestive symptoms, or may feel that it is pointless. If they do change habits and this is unsuccessful in helping symptoms, they may feel too tired or hopeless to bother trying again.
Low mood can also be associated with a loss of appetite, which may worsen symptoms such as constipation.
On the other hand, low mood can sometimes result in an increased intake of unhealthy fast foods, especially if the person has no motivation or energy to make nutritious home-cooked meals. In this case, the salty, fatty or sugary foods may exacerbate symptoms such as diarrhoea and stomach pain.
There may also be a connection between gut bacteria, IBS and low mood. There is growing evidence to suggest that imbalances in gut microbiome (known as dysbiosis) play a role in the development of IBS.1
As there is a strong connection between the gut and brain, with the digestive tract and brain sharing many of the same nerve connections, an imbalance in bacteria or inflammation in the gut can affect the brain; in some cases, this may lead to psychological dysfunction, which could result in low mood.2
As a result of this, altering gut bacteria may be a beneficial way to treat many diseases of the gut, such as IBS. This can be done through methods such as changing diet3, or by providing "good" bacteria and suppressing "bad" bacteria, which, for some IBS sufferers, can be achieved through probiotics.4
Support groups for people with IBS or low mood can often make a difference to emotional symptoms. It may help to talk to others who know what you're going through, as this could help you to feel less alone.
Talking to a doctor will help you figure out what treatment is best for you. If you are struggling with a combination of IBS and low mood symptoms, perhaps using a mixture of methods to treat both physical and emotional symptoms will
2. Anxiety/panic
Much like low mood, research indicates that rates of IBS are higher in those with anxiety and/or panic disorders.5
Frequency of IBS symptoms are thought to be especially high in those with panic disorders. Much like IBS, panic disorders can cause many distressing symptoms that can be embarrassing and difficult to manage.
The most common symptom of a panic disorder is a panic attack, which may be recurrent and happen unexpectedly. Panic attacks are characterized by many uncomfortable physical sensations such as sweating, chest pain, accelerated heart rate, and shortness of breath.
Likewise, IBS can bring on distressing physical symptoms which happen out of the blue. As well as this, both conditions are associated with anticipatory anxiety (when people experience increased anxiety and stress when they think about an event that may happen in the future) and avoidance behaviours.
It is currently unclear why a large percentage of people with panic disorders also suffer from IBS. It is thought that both conditions are associated with an overactive 'fight or flight' stress response; a response which prompts changes in the body to prepare to fight or run from a perceived threat, despite lack of danger.
Moreover, the incidence of IBS may be even higher in people with panic disorders who also suffer agoraphobia. People with agoraphobia may avoid places and situations which they fear will trigger a panic attack.
It is thought that symptoms of agoraphobia may overlap with the avoidance behaviours seen in IBS, such as wo6rrying about where to find a bathroom, and may exacerbate symptoms.
It is also thought that certain foods, substances and lifestyle choices may worsen panic disorders and IBS symptoms. Both conditions may be exacerbated by caffeine, alcohol, and refined sugar; so, reducing your intake of these may be beneficial for symptoms.
Moreover, symptoms can be worsened by chronic stress and frequent negative thoughts. There are many methods which you can use to reduce stress, such as guided relaxation exercises. I discuss this, plus how the digestive system is affected by stress, in my blog, "How to ease an anxious stomach".
My Top Tip:
AvenaCalm (Avena sativa) drops can be used for symptoms of mild stress and anxiety.
Try taking 25 to 30 drops twice daily.
"Controls my anxiety disorder brilliantly. I wouldn't be without it."
What you said!
We recently ran a poll to find out which emotional IBS trigger worsens your IBS most. We've crunched the numbers and here are the results.
Results: Which emotional trigger worsens your IBS most?
It's no surprise that the majority of you find anxiety worsens your symptoms most; research indicates rates of IBS are higher in those with anxiety disorders. There are many methods which you can use to reduce anxious thoughts, such as guided relaxation exercises.
References
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6039952/
2 https://www.jneurosci.org/content/34/46/15490.abstract
3 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12820
