As someone with current stomach issues, my doctors have been saying this to me constantly.
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(disclaimer: not a mental health professional)
anxiety used to keep us alive back in the hunting-gathering days, keep us aware of predators & other dangers. when we get that trigger, the entire body prepares to react to danger, including moving blood away from “unnecessary” processes like digestion. it’s stuck with us through our evolution, only it’s not as helpful in surviving a social interaction as it was when we were ducking saber-toothed tigers.
I clench my jaws subconsciously when i am stressed, and sometimes i get an uncomfortable knot in my solar plexus area. Thats how I know I am feeling stressed, even when it may not seem obvious. So I take time to think about what is going on around me to figure it out. :p
There are also seratonin receptors in our guts. My understanding is that this is at least part of the reason that IBS is often associated with anxiety and why SSRIs can improve IBS symptoms.
We’ll focus on the stomach since you mentioned it.
When you are stressed or anxious your body thinks something bad is happening.
Your body then takes energy from the stomach and puts it elsewhere to use in case you need to fight or flight.
When the stomach loses energy suddenly it’s like slamming on the brakes of a car.
When it happens in the moment your stomach slows down, the acid in it lessens, and it cramps,
If it happens often it can cause long term issues.
A common one is your stomach thinking it’s low on acid (because it keeps not getting enough during times of stress) and then producing extra acid to “fix” it. But now when you’re not stressed you have too much acid.
This extra acid can cause acid reflux, a burning feeling in the stomach, diarrhea, bacteria imbalance (which can lead to food sensitivities), and will eventually weaken the stomach lining (which can lead to more food sensitivities and stomach ulcers).
If anyone notices I got any info wrong please let me know! I went to a presentation on this but it was a while ago and I’m hoping I remembered it correctly.
[disclaimer: mental health professional]
Even though anxiety is thought of and described as something “mental”, it really is physiological: it occurs in the body. Because it is experienced in the body it produces the psychosomatic symptoms that we all have had (headache, stomach ache, nausea, insomnia). Dealing with and managing anxiety, in my opinion, is best done through approaches that emphasize the body. Approaches such as: exercise, diet, yoga, tai chi, relaxation training, breathing techniques, meditation, etc.
I highly recommend a book called “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” by Robert Sapolsky. It explains exactly this – the biological mechanism behind stress, and the various physical manifestations of stress. It’s a great read!
My psoriasis is like a reverse weather forecast (backcast?). If I have a bad psoriasis flare up, it is because I have had much stress/anxiety in the last 10-14 days or so.
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