Why Do I Feel Nauseous? Understanding The Connection To Anxiety And Trauma
Are you struggling with constant nausea? Feeling like no matter what you eat, it’s still there? Most people attribute the constant feelings of nausea to physical causes like having a food sensitivity or IBS. However, for many, the root of the problem is their mental health, oftentimes overlooked by doctors.
Anxiety and past trauma can be significant contributors to persistent nausea or other physical symptoms including muscle tension, headaches, or pain. The mind and body are connected, and when the mind experiences situations that cause distress, the body responds in several ways, including: physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, and cognitive symptoms.
Why Mental Health Can Cause Chronic Nausea
The body’s gut-brain axis is a pretty big part of the way your mind and body are connected. This complex communication system involves nerves, hormones, and biochemicals that keep the brain and digestive system in constant conversation. When mental health challenges such as anxiety or trauma disrupt this balance, the result can be chronic nausea.
Anxiety and trauma often keep the body’s nervous system in a heightened state of being alert, or hypervigilant. This can overstimulate the gut-brain axis causing slow digestion, the increase of stomach acid production, and heightened gut sensitivity. These are all factors that can cause persistent feelings of nausea.
Anxiety and Chronic Nausea
You may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t have anxiety”. For many people anxiety can be present without an obvious trigger. Anxiety disorders activate the fight-or-flight response. This is the body’s natural way of trying to protect itself from dangerous situations. However, when this is activated too often, it can cause the overstimulation of the gut-brain axis, and therefore increasing the likelihood of digestive problems. The disruptions in the digestive system cause blood flow to be redirected causing the muscles in the stomach and intestines to tighten, also leading to the feeling of persistent nausea.
Additionally, the worry about why you’re feeling nauseous can worsen the problem. This is known as anticipatory anxiety, where the fear of feeling sick creates a cycle that perpetuates the nausea. Over time, this cycle can make the symptoms feel unrelenting and debilitating.
Trauma and the Lingering Effects on the Gut
Another factor of mental health that can cause this consistent nausea is trauma. Whether it stems from a single event or long-term exposure to stress, trauma leaves a lasting impact on the body. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions can keep the nervous system in a state of dysregulation. This imbalance can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea that seems to have no physical cause.
Research has shown that trauma can also alter the gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria in the digestive system. Changes in the gut microbiome can lead to inflammation and increased gut sensitivity, making nausea a chronic issue for trauma survivors.
What to Do If You Feel Nauseous All the Time
Living with constant nausea can feel overwhelming, but there are effective strategies to manage the symptoms and address the underlying causes:
Recognize the Mind-Body Connection: Acknowledging that your nausea may be linked to anxiety or trauma is an important first step. Understanding this connection can help you seek the right kind of support.
Practice Stress-Reduction Techniques: Techniques like mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and vagus nerve stimulation exercises can calm the nervous system and reduce the intensity of nausea. Even a few minutes of focused relaxation each day can make a difference.
Explore Therapy: Speaking with a mental health professional can help you process the emotions and experiences contributing to your symptoms. Brainspotting and EMDR, both brain-based therapies, can be particularly helpful in releasing trauma and anxiety that is stored deep in your brain.
Support Your Gut Health: Eating a balanced diet that includes gut-friendly foods, such as probiotics and fiber-rich options, can support digestion and overall well-being. Staying hydrated and avoiding irritants like caffeine and alcohol may also help.
Consider Medication: In some cases, medication prescribed by a healthcare provider can alleviate severe symptoms. Anti-nausea medications or anti-anxiety treatments may provide relief while you work on longer-term strategies.
Track Your Symptoms: Keeping a journal of when your nausea occurs and any accompanying thoughts or feelings can help you identify patterns of stressors, worries, or anxiety that could be playing a part in your symptoms. This information can be valuable when seeking professional help.
Conclusion
If you’ve been feeling nauseous all the time, it’s essential to consider the role that anxiety and trauma might be playing. Chronic nausea can be a sign that your mind and body are signaling distress, urging you to pay attention. By addressing the root causes and seeking appropriate care, you can begin to break free from the cycle of persistent nausea and regain a sense of balance and well-being.
Remember, help is available, and you don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
