Have you ever felt a feeling of emptiness or a stomach knot? Or to have a burning of annoying stomach that does not seem linked to what you have eaten? If these sensations are familiar to you, you are not alone. It could be a physical symptom of anxietya signal that our body sends us to communicate an inner discomfort. It is a very common experience, which can manifest itself at any age, even in children.
In this article we will talk precisely about possible somatizations to the stomach of anxiety trying to deepen the causes, symptoms and remedies for calm anxiety to the stomach.
Stomach pain from stress and anxiety: the connection between mind and body
First, it is important to understand What is stomach anxiety And how to distinguish it from other physical disorders. It is always essential to exclude medical causes with your doctor, for example a gastrointestinal problem related to nutrition.
Once ascertained that the origin is not purely physical, we can explore the psychological aspects . Often, in fact, these are precisely these that trigger unpleasant physical sensations or real disorders at the level of the digestive system.
In fact, stomach anxiety can manifest itself with nausea and burning and, for this reason, not be perceived as a symptom of a psychological problem.
Instead, it is not uncommon that in some people, particularly stressful situations can cause anxiety to the stomach. For example, let’s imagine being at work and about to start a meeting with many people: the possible tension and fear of speaking in public can contribute to the onset of a state of anxiety that somatizes in the stomach.
Somatization in the stomach can be caused not only by anxiety and stress, but can they also be the consequence of experiences generally considered positive as falling in love: does the expression tell you something “to have butterflies in your stomach”?
The connection between brain and digestive system, known as brain-intestine axis, is very intense (Holtmann & Talley, 2014). Our gastrointestinal tract is extremely sensitive to emotions.
Feelings such as anger, anxiety, sadness, but also joy and falling in love, are able to trigger a series of physical reactions that, in some cases, can manifest themselves as real gastrointestinal disorders.
The role of stress and nervous system
Since there is a close relationship between stomach, intestine and brain, it is not surprising that you can try pain in the mouth of the stomach due to anxiety and stress. The gastrointestinal tract in fact, with its enteric nervous system, is innervated by the autonomous nervous system. But there is more.
The research has long recognized the relevance of stress in the pathophysiology of digestive pathologies. In people with irritable intestine syndrome, for example, (Labanski et al., 2019) has been found a greater prevalence of stressful life events in the past, including a story of abuses, childhood trauma or more recent psychological trauma throughout life
Anxiety somatized in the stomach: the symptoms
We have seen how anxiety and stress can play a role in the onset of gastrointestinal and chronic-inflammatory pathologies such as irritable intestine syndrome, Crohn’s disease, colitis, gastritis and gastroenteritis. These disorders can make even greater the stomach anxiety manifestations.
What are the main symptoms? Among the different clinical manifestations it is possible to observe:
- changes of appetite,
- meteorism and diarrhea,
- nausea and vomiting,
- heartburn,
- stretching stomach or swelling,
- tingling or pressure in the stomach,
- anxiety to the mouth of the stomach (feeling of emptiness),
- night sweating,
- insomnia.
Even children can experience anxiety and complain of stomach pains. A study conducted by Shelby and colleagues (2013) highlighted the close correlation between anxious states and gastrointestinal symptoms also in pediatric age. Children can report the presence of these pains and symptoms in the morning, before going to school or before facing situations that cause stress such as an exam, a football match or any other extracurricular activity that generates great expectations.
What causes stomach pain from stress?
As we have already mentioned, the gastrointestinal tract has its own nervous system, called Entertain nervous system. The nerve terminations of the stomach are closely associated with stress hormones released by the brain and which are part of the fight or escape response.
When this mechanism is activated, stress hormones tell the stomach to slow down so that the muscles and lungs can pump more blood.
Stress and anxiety are the possible causes of that burning sensation, stomach stomach stomachs. We not all feel stress in the same situationsso the circumstances in which we can somatise anxiety to the stomach can vary from person to person. Let’s see some:
- An important eventas an exam or a presentation that generates insecurity. This is a very common cause among adults at work but also affects children he teenagers when they have to take an exam, keep a play at school or take a football game, as well as any other activity to which great importance is attributed.
- Economic problems e Work problems Like related work stress or burnout, which affect the person naturally and mentally.
- Family problems or couple crisisseparations and, more generally, problems in relationships such as the end of a love story or having to face a betrayal.
- Changes significant, also due to events considered happy, such as one pregnancycan be stressful because they require the mobilization of new resources.
- Death of a loved one: the elaboration of mourning can manifest itself with symptoms of anxiety and stomach pain.
In general, the somatization of stomach anxiety can occur in all anxiety disorders, among which we remember:
- Social anxiety: it is the fear of being judged or refused by others, which can occur when talking in public, an exam is supported or simply is the center of attention for a few minutes.
- Hypochondria: The influence of the brain on the rest of the body is powerful and thinking of being able to sick at any moment or of being exposed to sudden changes that represent a health risk, it can also cause stomach anxiety.
- Generalized anxiety: people with generalized anxiety are constantly worried about everything that happens around them and experience high levels of chronic anxiety and discomfort.
- Phobias: phobias can also cause stomach anxiety when the person knows that he will be exposed to that fear, as can happen, for example, in aerophobia.
How to calm anxiety to the stomach?
Anxiety and unpleasant stomach sensations are common and can occur in very specific situations, such as when you start a new job or even before getting married. The problem is when this anxiety begins to condition one’s life. What can be done about it? How can psychology help to calm anxiety to the stomach?
Psychological therapy
Finding a path with an online or studio psychologist can be a decisive step to deal with anxiety and stomach disorders it causes.
The goal of a psychological path, in fact, is not only to relieve physical symptoms such as pain or nausea. The deepest purpose is to provide tools to understand and manage the psychological roots of the problem, promoting lasting well -being.
Among the different psychotherapeutic approaches used for the treatment and management of anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy has proved to be very useful to understand the causes of anxiety and, consequently, reduce its symptoms, including those in the stomach.
Relaxation and meditation
To relieve anxiety to the stomach, there are relaxation techniques that allow the person to feel relaxed and avoid intense reactions (such as nausea) in very stressful situations.
These techniques include different practical approaches. For example, it is possible to learn progressive muscle relaxation training or diaphragmatic breathing. Other effective strategies are the display of relaxing scenes or the integration of specific therapies such as music therapy.
Meditation, on the other hand, is a mental training in which it is taught to the body and mind to concentrate on the present and to accept thoughts and feelings without judgment.
As a unabratvo can help you manage anxiety
Recognizing the link between mind and body is the first step in taking care of your well -being. THE physical symptomslike stomach ache, are often signs that our psyche sends us to communicate a deeper discomfort. Face the causes of anxietyand not only its symptoms, is the key to a lasting change.
In Unebravo, we believe that asking for help is an act of strength. Through an online therapy path, our professionals can help you develop effective strategies to manage anxietyunderstand its roots and find a psychophysical balance.
If you don’t know where to start, a first concrete step can be that of better understand your state current through a free test on anxiety such as the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (Gad-7).
