Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Why do anxious feelings create the need to go to toilet frequently?

193 Answers
Last Updated: 02/19/2022 at 2:01pm
Take the first step toward feeling better
Begin your therapy journey today and receive $25 off (use code 25OFF7C)
Moderated by

Lisa Groesz, PhD

Psychologist

With evidenced based therapies, we find the root of the problem together to implement solutions. We all face crises, transitions, or disorders at some time.

Top Rated Answers
Profile: aDistraction
aDistraction
December 19th, 2020 3:13pm
I am not a Dr. but I think for me its that my body absorbs nutrients different, so it gives me the poops and most times I throw up with it at the same time. I think it is just you muscles overworking. Maybe kind of like a snake does, when in danger and needs to get away. There is usually not much I can do about it, I just go though the motions. And allow at least an extra 60-90 min to get ready, when I know "its coming". Oh yeah, and I take a sick bag with me. But like I said, I'm not a doctor.
Profile: cuteOrange213
cuteOrange213
December 26th, 2020 2:27pm
Anxiety symptoms can be shown in a multitude of ways and one common symptom is frequent trips to the toilet. As anxiety is caused by worrying thoughts, your body is finding ways to try to avoid the problem and it detects that the trips to the toilet. The frequent trips to the toilet might also be caused by the association by the feeling of calmness and peaceful and the closed doors of the toilet as that allows no interaction with anyone else. This can also be proved as one of the ways people cope with anxiety is leaving situations when anxiety begins to occur and your body chooses the toilet to run away to.
Profile: ravenpuff98
ravenpuff98
January 27th, 2021 8:25pm
There's a clear link between our gut and our mental health that can be observed in the relationship between stomach upset and anxiety. When your body enters the fight-or-flight response, it releases the stress hormone cortisol. This stimulates peristalsis -- the contractions in the gut that help move food along. The result is that food moves more quickly through your digestive system when you are anxious or stressed. For this reason, it's common to experience symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting with anxiety. You are also more likely to have the condition Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) if you also have an anxiety disorder.
Anonymous
February 3rd, 2021 5:37pm
Our fight or flight response steps into action when you become anxious or stressed, which results in us having to pee more frequently. Your body is responding to the anxiousness by filling up your bladder at a faster pace. Normally when you are more relaxed your bladder will take longer to fill up. The stress hormones that are being released when you are anxious can make your body overcompensate in different areas. It is important to try and calm your nerves and alleviate stress through healthy coping mechanisms. You can also get diarrhea when you are anxious because of the high levels of serotonin that may cause your stomach to cramp up or have spasms.
Anonymous
April 14th, 2021 7:03am
For me personally going to the toilet is almost like a sanctuary and a safe space. As a result, I feel that when I'm there I am able to calmly think through my problems and feel as if I have left the toilet much less anxious than when I felt I needed to go to the toilet. So, if you're feeling that you need to go to the toilet frequently when anxious it could just be your bodies natural reaction to the anxious feeling because it knows that going to the bathroom could potentially alleviate you from the anxious feeling and return your body to a happy and healthy equilibrium.
Profile: peacefulSunrise965
peacefulSunrise965
May 23rd, 2021 3:20pm
We are all animals in the very basic thinking. When confronted with fear or anxiety our bodies respond as either fight flight or freeze. Think about dogs when they really scared they pee and poo. This might give the impression of it is dead to predators so that predator (stressor) would go away. On top of all that, some experts suspect that the fight-or-flight response could also put our kidneys into overdrive, causing them to produce more urine than usual. But don't worry. You can train yourself otherwise by getting CBT. It can also help people understand that frequent urination is simply a byproduct of their anxiety and also that they probably don’t have to pee as much as they think they do. Moreover, mindfulness and pelvic exercises can also help to control your bladder.
Profile: compassionatekoala2021
compassionatekoala2021
September 5th, 2021 8:22pm
This is due to our fight or flight (or fight or freeze) response. Our brain sends these responses to our body and, in turn, our body deciphers what needs to happen. If we need to run, we need to expel whatever we can to be faster. Sometimes this means our bodies want to go to the bathroom in times of anxiety. This can also be why some people feel the need to vomit when dealing with anxiety; our body wants to get rid of any excess. Some exercises may help, such as breathing techniques or grounding techniques may help alleviate these feelings.
Profile: blissfulPink9961
blissfulPink9961
October 2nd, 2021 1:57am
“During heightened anxiety, the amount of serotonin increases in your gut and can cause spasms to happen throughout your entire colon.” These spasms are enough to produce unexpected bowel movements. In addition to stress hormones, anxiety poop may also be linked to your nervous system.When you start to feel anxious, however, things don’t run as smoothly. This is largely due to the fact that our bladders are closely connected to our body’s fear system — aka our “fight-or-flight” response. When that response activates, our brain tends to override all those lovely signals telling us whether or not it’s actually time to pee. At the same time, our bladder muscles contract, which puts more pressure on the bladder and sends us running for the bathroom.
Anonymous
October 30th, 2021 12:45pm
Scientifically, anxiety increases the amount of serotonin in your gut (I have no idea why), which may cause your colon to spasm. When your colon spasms, your bowels are likely to move. Bowel movement generally equals the need to poo. When it comes to urinating, anxiety causes some of our hormones to shift, thus resulting in our bladders’ not being relaxed. They tend to contract because of this hormonal shift. Hence, the need to pee. The human body has an interesting response to anxiety + anxious feelings, you should research into it a bit more, you'll find there's more to it than what I have said.
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2022 12:13pm
Anxiety can exist in many forms, and just as an upset stomach can occur after rides at an amusement park, anxiety and nerves that result from everyday life also have the ability to target specific receptors in the gut that lead to the same feelings and the increased use of the toilet. This is why treating anxiety and symptoms of anxiety necessitates a multifaceted approach as it can affect all aspects of ones body. Things that can help with lessening these anxious feelings to hopefully lessen visits to the bathroom are the same stress relieving exercises that are supported by all, yoga, breathing exercise, mindfulness, and talk therapy.
Profile: stellaglaze
stellaglaze
January 6th, 2022 8:32am
Anxiety has a super significant link to our nervous systems, which can often times explain why people with anxiety seem to have lots of stomach problems. I personally developed a condition called SIBO, which stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and I recently learned that it most likely sprouted from me being extremely stressed and anxious. Talking to a doctor to help take a look at your nervous system/stomach might really help with alleviating some of your physical problems that may have spurred from anxiety. Something that has also helped me is using a heating pad on my stomach and eating foods that I know won't cause my stomach to act up!
Profile: Vithleem
Vithleem
January 15th, 2022 2:44pm
Scientists say that our emotions are able to affect the way by which our bodies function. We are referring to psychosomatic problems, in other words. Of course, every person's reaction differs, as we all have different experiences and ways to overcome problems. If you notice that your toilet habits have recently changed, it would be helpful to discuss this with a professional who will explain to you what you can do to take care of yourself. Furthermore, you can try to eat a bit more healthy and add some walking to your daily routine. Finally, you can ask some people that you trust to tell if if they ever had a similar problem and what they did to overcome it.
Anonymous
February 19th, 2022 2:01pm
When you are feeling anxious, it is a very normal physiological response to the need to urinate more frequently or have bowel movement issues. Your muscles tense up when you are experiencing anxiety, and this creates pressure on your bladder and your abdomen. The added pressure can make you feel like you need to go to the toilet! Additionally, extreme stress or anxiety may activate a surge of adrenaline known as our "fight or flight" response and in turn, can increase the kidney's production of urine and lead to the need to 'relieve yourself'. Similarly, diarrhoea may occur as an outcome of anxiety as there is a direct connection between your gut and your brain. When a person is anxious, the body releases hormones, which can result in a chemical imbalance disrupting the gut flora and cause diarrhoea.