Can Anxiety Cause Nausea? How Anxiety Affects the Body.
Anxiety is a natural part of life, it’s our alert system to warn us about potential danger whether it be physical, social or emotional threat. But if it becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can affect more than just your thoughts and emotions.
Anxiety often triggers physical symptoms that can feel confusing, alarming, or even debilitating. Let’s explore some of these effects on the body, answering key questions and providing insights into how therapy can help you manage anxiety and its physical toll.
Can Anxiety Cause Nausea?
Yes, anxiety can absolutely cause nausea.
The gut and brain are intricately connected through the vagus nerve, often referred to as the “second brain.” When you’re anxious, your fight-or-flight response activates, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can disrupt digestion, causing nausea, bloating, or even stomach cramps.
Some people describe anxiety-induced nausea as a “fluttery” sensation or an uneasy feeling, much like motion sickness. If nausea persists or affects your daily life, consider seeking professional help. Therapy or counselling can help address the root cause of your anxiety and provide strategies to calm both your mind and body.
Pro Tip: Try calming techniques like slow, deep breathing or journaling when nausea arises. These small steps can create a significant impact on your overall well-being.
Can Anxiety Cause Diarrhea?
Anxiety can indeed cause diarrhea. Stress and anxiety impact the digestive system’s ability to function normally. For some, this may mean an upset stomach and diarrhea, while for others it could lead to constipation.
Why does this happen? The same stress hormones that prepare your body to “fight or flee” can disrupt gut motility—the speed at which food moves through your system. In situations of chronic anxiety, this can become a recurring problem. Though only observational, we’ve seen how trauma/anxiety and IBS-type of digestive disorders are often linked. There is no way to sever the physical and emotional body so those persistent experiences of worry, fear and dread can show up in your body in different ways as well.
Quick Tip: Identify triggers for anxiety-related digestive symptoms. If this issue becomes chronic, consider first consulting a doctor to rule out anything medical and then a therapist who can help you break the cycle.
Can Anxiety Cause Stomach Pains?
Stomach pain is a frequent complaint among people experiencing anxiety. Stress hormones not only affect your digestive speed but can also make normal sensations in the stomach feel painful. This heightened sensitivity, combined with stress-induced changes in gut bacteria, often leads to cramping, bloating, or general discomfort.
Long-term stress can exacerbate these symptoms, so it’s important to recognize when your physical discomfort is tied to your emotional health. Managing stress through therapy or relaxation exercises can offer long-term relief.
Remember: Chronic or severe stomach issues may also signal conditions like IBS, which often coexist with anxiety. Consult a professional to determine the best course of action.
Can Anxiety Cause Shortness of Breath?
Yes, shortness of breath is a classic symptom of anxiety, especially during panic attacks. When anxiety strikes, it can cause hyperventilation, or rapid, shallow breathing. This makes you feel like you can’t get enough air, even though your lungs are functioning normally.
This sensation can be alarming and may feed into the anxiety itself, creating a loop. In most cases, shortness of breath related to anxiety isn’t dangerous. However, it’s always a good idea to consult a healthcare provider to rule out underlying conditions if the symptom persists.
This is often the sensation that causes folks to say “I feel like I’m dying” which is very common in a panic attack. That inability to catch your breath and a racing heart feed into the anxiety which makes it harder to breath and calm down. Medical professionals know how to assess the difference between a panic attack and a heart attack on a physiological level, so if you’re ever unsure of what’s happening or you feel like you’re dying, then seek medical attention first. There is no reason to delay support, and if it is anxiety-related, then this often helps settle that physiological response and can give you clarity on what happened.
Coping Strategy: Try belly breathing—placing a hand on your abdomen and focusing on slow, deep breaths. This technique signals your nervous system to relax.
Can Anxiety Cause Headaches?
Headaches, particularly tension headaches, are a common side effect of chronic anxiety. Anxiety often causes muscle tension—particularly in the neck, shoulders, and scalp—leading to mild to moderate headaches. Severe anxiety may also contribute to migraines, characterized by throbbing pain, nausea, and light sensitivity.
These headaches can create a cycle where the physical pain heightens your anxiety, making symptoms worse. Breaking this cycle often involves a combination of stress management, lifestyle changes, and therapeutic support.
Take Action: Regular exercise and improved sleep habits can reduce the frequency of anxiety-induced headaches. Speaking with a counsellor about anxiety triggers may also bring substantial relief.
Can Anxiety Cause Chest Pains?
Anxiety can cause chest pain that mimics heart attack symptoms, which understandably leads to panic. When you’re anxious, your heart rate and blood pressure spike, and the muscles in your chest can tighten, resulting in discomfort or sharp pain.
Although chest pain from anxiety typically lasts for a few minutes and resolves on its own, any chest pain should be taken seriously. If you’re unsure whether the cause is anxiety or a heart-related issue, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention.
Helpful Insight: Recognizing the pattern of anxiety attacks can help you manage chest pain in the moment. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an excellent tool to help retrain the brain’s response to stress.
Can Anxiety Cause High Blood Pressure?
While anxiety doesn’t directly cause chronic high blood pressure, it can lead to temporary spikes. Every time you feel anxious, your body releases stress hormones, causing your heart to beat faster and your blood pressure to rise.
Frequent episodes of elevated blood pressure can strain your heart and arteries over time, mimicking the effects of hypertension. Additionally, some behaviors linked to anxiety—like smoking or overeating—may contribute to long-term cardiovascular problems.
Key Message: If your anxiety leads to behaviors that might affect your overall health, consider working with a therapist to build healthier coping mechanisms. Therapy can provide long-term solutions to reduce the impact of stress on your physical body.
If this sounds familiar to you, Book a free consultation or fill out a form on our contact page to see if therapy is the right step for your personal goals.
How Anxiety Therapy Can Help
Anxiety doesn’t just live in your head; it resides in your body.
The good news is that these symptoms often improve with professional help. Therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or mindfulness-based approaches, can help you manage the mental and physical toll of anxiety. Therapists work alongside you to identify triggers, reframe thought patterns, and develop personalized coping strategies.
If you’re in Ontario and experiencing anxiety’s physical effects, Access Therapy provides compassionate care to help you navigate these challenges. Whether you’re dealing with nausea, headaches, or chest pain, professional support can offer relief and a path forward.
Take the Next Step: Your well-being matters. Contact us today to explore how therapy can improve your quality of life.
You don’t have to face anxiety alone.
Healing is Possible.
Therapists are as unique as their clients, and it’s possible to find the right fit for you. Just ask us how.