Does Anxiety Affect IBS Symptoms?

100%, when I was diagnosed I was told by the doctor to relax 😅. But also, I was eating dairies, and after I stopped eating them it helped a lot my IBS

Yes! And then I’m anxious because I feel unwell and then feel more unwell because I’m anxious lol

I do, but I also tend to drink coffee when I'm anxious, and that's a trigger, so it could be unconnected to the anxiety. 😂

Y E S Especially when I'm having panic attacks and anxiety attacks, they are connected and it's hard to navigate as for me it's another reason to stay inside, but yeah, I get it

Absolutely! I definitely have my IBS under better control generally these days (festive food aside), but anxiety tips me over the edge. I always ensure that I have an IBS emergency kit in my handbag to reduce stress around my IBS symptoms and tend to know where there are private toilets I can use in my work and my community. It is a vicious cycle, but worrying about IBS bouts less definitely reduces stress....which reduces the IBS! 🤞🏻

Yes!!! Whenever I have an appointment or smth my IBS is so much worse before it which just makes me more nervous lol

definitely

it took me ALMOST 17 YEARS to realize i have a dairy intolerance (and much longer to realize i have digestive issues outside of dairy), because i thought it was just anxiety making me sick!!

Yes. I also puke when I’m upset. Which is so incredibly frustrating. Haha

YES!! Just spent two hours in the bathroom after my anxiety have me the shakes and made me nauseous.

Y e s. Mine is always worse when my anxiety is acting up. So does my mom's. We are anxious people so the toilet is always taking a beating.

Definitely! The GI tract is definitively connected in that way. Can totally relate

Absolutely! Someone could send me a cryptic text like "we need to talk," and something like that could trigger my stomach like a switch. I've had it be less intense with meds now, at the very least, because my mind doesn't go into catastrophe mode for quite as many things.