If you are a good person, which I’m certain you are, you read Thomas’s story last week. If not, I won’t judge you (but I’m judging you), and you can find the article here.
So, if you remember, Thomas had this weird thing going on. Every morning before going to work, he got sick, especially on Monday mornings.
He was very worried about this. He couldn’t understand why he was getting sick all the time. He started thinking about some illness that he might have because, for him, there was no other explanation for this.
As a psychologist, I didn’t have to play Sherlock this time because the correlation between the symptoms and when they were happening was quite obvious.
Here’s the long explanation: Anxiety.
Here’s the short one: There’s a thing called anxiety-induced nausea. Your brain and digestive system are connected. Aha! So, when your body goes into an anxious state (also called freaking out big time), it triggers some changes in your body, including your digestive system. And that’s why when you are nervous, anxious, or stressed, it could result in an upset stomach or feeling nauseous.
But Thomas didn’t buy this theory. And of course, why would you, since anxiety likes to masquerade as different symptoms?
Is it a heart attack?
Is it a cold?
Are my lungs working?
Am I fainting?
Am I dying?
No, not yet. You have anxiety.
And I don’t like saying you ‘just’ have anxiety. Anxiety could be a big deal if you are oblivious to it.
Let me give you an example.
If this is a one-time thing, it’s easy to attribute the cause. Like, you have a presentation in front of very important people, and your performance will determine the outcome of your whole career.
No wonder you are getting sick; you are nervous and anxious. Of course. But once the stressor goes, so does the anxiety, and so does the nausea.
But, in Thomas’s case, it was a chronic thing. Meaning, it was happening for weeks.
In these types of cases, first and foremost, I recommend going to your GP to dismiss any other probabilities. But once you are clear on the physical front, you’ll have to dig in for the causes.
Because, and never forget, anxiety is a consequence of something that is causing you stress or anguish. Anxiety is never the thing. And the problem will never go away if you focus on the consequence, not the origin of it. And if you struggle like Thomas did, I can help you.
In the meantime, here are some band-aid-type solutions to better cope with this symptom (getting sick) that anxiety is causing:
1. Deep Breathing Exercises
Start your day with a few minutes of deep breathing. Find a quiet spot, sit comfortably, and inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely. Hold for a few seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this 5-10 times to help reduce anxiety and settle your stomach. Other options are more structured breathing techniques like box breathing or belly breathing. If you find time to scroll through social media, I’m sure you can spare 5 minutes.
2. Stay Hydrated
Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Dehydration can increase nausea, so keep sipping water throughout the morning. Herbal teas like ginger or peppermint can also soothe your stomach and nerves.
3. Eat a Light Breakfast
Choose a light, easy-to-digest breakfast. Bananas, toast, or a small bowl of porridge can give you the necessary energy without overwhelming your digestive system. Make sure to avoid greasy or overly rich foods that can make nausea worse.
4. Practice Mindfulness
Add a short mindfulness session into your morning routine. There are apps that offer guided meditations, or even on YouTube, that can help you center yourself and reduce stress. You don’t need to meditate if you don’t know how to or you struggle with it; with guided audio, it’ll be much easier. Even a few minutes can make a significant difference in how you handle stress.
5. Prepare the Night Before
Reduce morning stress by preparing for your day the night before. So, lay out your clothes, pack your lunch, your bag, and organise your work materials. A smooth, stress-free morning routine can help minimise anxiety and its physical symptoms. Routine and structure are always key.
6. Therapy
Anxiety-induced nausea doesn’t typically last long and it goes away once the stressor goes away. Now, about that stressor… If you want to find the cause, do the work and dig in. Otherwise, you’ll always be coping with the symptoms of things about yourself that you don’t understand yet.
I hope that helps.
Love,
Noemi
