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

Profile: soundsculptor
soundsculptor on Sep 1, 2015
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Because anxiety makes your blood prioritize the brain and the big muscles instead of the interior organs. This means that the food is not being properly digested before it leaves the body.
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Profile: geeb0t
geeb0t on Mar 23, 2016
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Anxious feelings make your stomach turn and hurt. This makes your body think you need to go to the bathroom.
Profile: ImHereYouGotIt
ImHereYouGotIt on May 4, 2016
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There are several beliefs for what causes frequent urination from anxiety, and the likelihood is that all of these factors play a role: Muscle Tension – When you have anxiety, your muscles get very tense. This tension puts pressure on your bladder, which in turn makes you feel like you need to urinate more than you would otherwise. Light Overload – It's also possible that, because anxiety is a misfiring of the fight/flight system, your body may simply be lightly overloaded. The fear is not intense enough to cause immediate urination, but it may make it harder for you to feel like you can hold it back. Also, those with anxiety are more prone to focusing on different sensations unintentionally. There are often times when you may feel the need to urinate slightly but your body has no problem ignoring the feeling and holding it back. It's nothing to worry about though, it happens to everyone :)
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Mar 17, 2016
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To get out of the situation causing anxiety would have to be my guess. I've never really had that issue before so I'm not too sure!
Profile: ShadowAngel15
ShadowAngel15 on Apr 8, 2016
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It's often how the body responds to those type of things. Just like when you get stressed, you can get a headache or your heart suddenly beats faster than normal.
Profile: Reddy
Reddy on Apr 29, 2016
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When we feel anxious our bodies go into whats called "fight or flight" mode which simply means if there is a danger we either fight or run! Of course with anxiety there isnt always an immediate reason for the anxious feelings but out mind and bodies are predispositioned to go into "fight or flight" mode. So needing to go to the toilet frequently is simply the bodys way of evacuating "non essential" contents as it needs adrenalin to either fight or flee!
Profile: optimisticDreamer91
optimisticDreamer91 on Aug 18, 2016
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I compare anxiety and the need to use the restroom to playing hide and seek as a child. You find the perfect place to hide and feel comfortable but once the person who is seeking says they are coming you get really nervous and anxious. You start to fidget, maybe shake some, and probably feel your muscles contracting. Between the sudden jolt your body is feeling and the muscles trying to respond this type of excitement could be why we feel the need to use the restroom when anxious.
Profile: Betheone
Betheone on May 14, 2016
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Anxiety creates an overall tension throughout the body. As the bladder tenses, it contracts and is able to hold less. Therefore, you end up using the bathroom more frequently.
Profile: CognitiveWitch
CognitiveWitch on Oct 28, 2017
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Great question! Many people know the feeling of an upset stomach when they're anxious. There is a biological reason behind this experience. You may have heard of the fight/flight response. When your brain perceives a threat, the amygdala sends out an alarm that triggers a cascade of neurotransmitters to be released (adrenaline and cortisol). These neurotransmitters activate the sympathetic nervous system, which plays a key role in that fight/flight response. When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it has many effects on the body, such as increasing heart rate, increasing respiration, and even rerouting blood flow to power major muscle groups in the arms and legs. In this case, it is causing digestion to suddenly stop which often leads to stomach pain and cramps. While it may have been advantageous for your ancient ancestors to urinate and defecate when faced by a threat (making them lighter/faster and less palatable to certain predators), it can definitely cause issues for you in modern times and it becomes important to learn skills to cope with the anxiety triggering that upset stomach.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 1, 2018
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Anxiety causes your muscles to tense and eventually that puts pressure on the bladder and you feel the urge to urinate. If it's happening more often then you should visit a doctor.
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