1. Mind Over Matter
Diarrhea is characterized by frequent watery or loose stools. Diarrhea can be caused from a wide variety of factors, physical or otherwise. The most basic cause of diarrhea is the insufficient absorption of water in the large intestine. This typically occurs as a result of some triggering factors, such as medications, infection, inflammation or some type of disease such as Crohn's disease.
Anxiety and stress can exert a powerful influence over normal physical dynamics of the body, such as blood pressure, dietary habits or the formation of stomach ulcers. The intestinal tract is no exception, so there is some evidence to suggest that diarrhea can be caused or exacerbated by anxiety.
2. Identifying the Stress
Being able to rule out other, perhaps more physical, causes of the diarrhea is one giant step toward identifying those things that cause excessive stress or anxiety. There are two types of stress: stress you can identify and stress that isn't recognized. Typically, recognized stressors can be dealt with in a meaningful manner. It's the unidentified stressors that frequently cause havoc to our bodies.
3. What Anxiety and Stress Does to Your Body
When anxiety strikes, various systems within the body are activated. Heart rate increases, blood pressure becomes elevated and gastro-intestinal activity slows in preparation for the "fight or flight" response. Adrenalin rushes into the circulatory system. Blood supply is increased in and around the intestinal tract for increased absorption of nutrients, and decreased around the stomach. Senses become heightened--sight, hearing, smell--in preparation for the "fight or flight" response. Numbness and tingling of the face and extremities often occur in an upward spiral of symptoms.
4. Treat the Cause and the Symptoms
While there are vast numbers of prescription as well as over-the-counter remedies for diarrhea, treatment of the symptoms alone may not be enough when anxiety and stress are the causes. In order to treat anxiety-related diarrhea, the root cause of the anxiety must me established. Once the cause of the stress and anxiety is identified, meaningful attempts to cope with and/or eliminate it can be undertaken.
5. Treatment Options
It is widely accepted that if you treat and eradicate the cause of an illness, it follows that the illness will, in turn, vanish. The same holds true of the stress and factors that cause anxiety. Until the cause(s) of anxiety and stress are rooted out, any treatments will only temporarily solve the problem.
There are several ways to treat anxiety-related diarrhea. First is the symptomatic approach, where the diarrhea itself is treated. This can be done with dietary changes, medicines, anti-inflammatory agents and anti-diarrhea compounds such as Imodium. In cases where there is associated bowel irritation, anti-spasmodic medication may be needed as well.
When treating the mental and emotional aspects of anxiety, counseling and therapy are excellent options. Therapy and counceling can often be accompanied by the use of anti-anxiety medications, such as tranquilizers and anti-psychotic agents. After bringing the emotional side of anxiety under control, more standard efforts to treat diarrhea can be initiated.
