“I've been thinking a lot about how much I hate talking about my illness to non-sufferers. By definition, IBS is an illness defined by the bowel problems it causes - which is something society has deemed gross, TMI, something not to talk about. So I dread how people will react when/if I tell them about my struggles with it” (Reddit).

Sound familiar? If you live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), you know that these chronic illnesses aren’t just physical. With widespread social stigma and misunderstanding, the mental and emotional toll can be just as challenging as the physical symptoms — the stress of hiding your condition, the dismissal of your condition as “just indigestion,” the unpredictability of your symptoms. And this relationship between your gut health and mental health runs both ways. Your flare-ups take a toll on your emotional wellbeing, which further exacerbates your gut symptoms, creating a vicious cycle. It’s time that we talk about it. 

The Gut-Brain Axis

The general concept of a link between gut health and the brain is not new. There is substantial research on the gut-brain axis — the term used to describe the neural connections between the brain and gut — that shows that these organs communicate closely, with our brain sending signals to our gut to facilitate digestion and our gut microbiome producing neurotransmitters to signal satiety to our brain. Click here to learn more about this from our podcast on this very topic!

What does the research say about chronic gut conditions and mental health?

IBS and Mental Health: How Healing Your Mind Heals Your Gut

Research shows that between 54% and 94% of IBS patients have a psychiatric condition, with up to one third of them having anxiety or depression (a higher incidence than in non-IBS patients). But does that mean mental health challenges cause chronic gut illnesses? Believe it or not, when researchers gave IBS patients medication to treat their anxiety and/or depression, the treatment actually improved not only the patient’s mental health but also their IBS symptoms. So while it’s easy to fixate on what we’re eating when it comes to preventing gastrointestinal issues, it’s helpful to remember that our mental state plays a role too!

GERD and Mental Health: Why That Chest Pain Might Be More Than Physical

Like with IBS, people with GERD have comparatively high rates of anxiety and depression compared to non-GERD patients. Researchers also noticed that physical symptoms like chest pain magnified this effect, possibly because pain adds additional stress. You feel worse, and there’s an additional layer of fear because GERD-induced chest pain can feel an awful lot like a heart attack, even if it isn’t. 

So what can you do to take care of your mental health and/or the mental health of others with chronic gut conditions?

1) Normalize and Vocalize

As one redditor shared: 

“I started to just tell people, and guess what? They then start to tell me that they too have digestive issues (ibs, intolerances, diverticulitis), and then we are way more relaxed around each other. It now means I don’t have to be worried when I go to friend’s [sic] houses, they know I may need to use the toilet. It’s so much more common than we think it is, you just gotta break the ice” (Reddit).

It can be hard to open up about a topic that society considers taboo, but by doing so, you can encourage others to share their experiences, too. This can reduce isolation and create space for  people to feel heard and affirm that they — and their struggles with chronic gut illness — belong.

2) Seek mental health treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic gut condition, your doctor may have recommended that you see a dietitian or a gastroenterologist, but they might not have recommended that you seek therapy. As you may know from experience and/or from the research we discussed above, mental health challenges can be a contributing factor to your gastrointestinal symptoms, or you might be at higher risk of struggling with your mental health once you have been diagnosed with IBS, GERD, or another condition.

Whether treatment looks like medication, therapy, or a combination of the two, taking care of your mental health could be very helpful!

 3) Build community

There are a number of ways to build community online — such as Reddit forums we featured in this post, websites like IBS Patient Support Group, and social media groups like GERD/Acid Reflux Support Group hosted on Facebook — where you can tap into a broad network of others who understand your experiences. 

Finding and building community locally can also help you develop helpful eating habits with your condition. For many of us, food is deeply personal and tied to our culture, and if you have dietary restrictions (regardless of whether they’re IBS- or GERD-related) you understand the disappointment that comes with giving up or limiting your consumption of a food that you love. Having a supportive community can help you navigate this by sharing to modify your meals so you can still enjoy them without worrying about triggering symptoms.

Managing a Chronic Gut Condition Means Caring for More Than Just Your Gut

Living with a chronic gut illness like IBS or GERD doesn’t have to be isolating. By understanding how your mental health and gut symptoms are connected, you’ve already taken a meaningful first step. The next step might be reaching out — whether that’s opening up to a close friend, joining a support group, or talking to a therapist who understands what it’s like to live with a chronic condition. You deserve support that cares for both your mind and your gut.

If you’re looking for a tool that helps you connect the dots between what you eat, how you feel, and what your body’s telling you, join our waitlist to be part of the Flourish community we’re building — one that supports your gut and your mental well-being.

References:

• Association Between Psychosocial Disorders and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

• Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder With and Without Chest Pain

• I'm so embarrassed about my IBS and I hate telling people I struggle with it (Reddit thread).

• Irritable bowel syndrome and mental health comorbidity — approach to multidisciplinary management

• The Gut-Brain Connection

• The relationship between irritable bowel syndrome and psychiatric disorders: from molecular changes to clinical manifestations