Whenever I am anxious or stressed, I feel nauseated and sometimes vomit. Is this a regular symptom?

Hi. It’s Jenny at AnxietyBoss.com. Our question today is from Carl in East Grand Forks, North Dakota. Whenever I am anxious or stressed, I feel nauseated and sometimes vomit. Is this a regular symptom?

Absolutely. Although anxiety is in the mind, the body experiences very real and physical symptoms as well. Nausea is a very normal and common symptom associated with stress and anxiety. The biological reasoning for feeling nauseated when stressed and anxious is due to the effect that these feelings have on hormones that regulate your stomach acids and enzymes. When they’re not balanced, adrenaline is released which disrupts the normal levels of acids and enzymes in the stomach, concluding in that nauseous feeling.

Fortunately, feeling nauseous when under excessive stress or experiencing heightened anxiety is relatively normal and it’s not life threatening. It’s important to stay hydrated and to keep your body nourished and replenished and regulate abnormalities in your stomach and abdominal area. Dehydration is actually a top cause of anxiety.

Along with replenishing your body with liquids, it is important to make sure that you’re following a balanced and healthy diet that consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables. This is especially important because hunger can increase the feeling of nausea. Maybe as a side to your meals, try herbal supplements. You can also take over the counter medications such as Tums or Pepto-Bismol. These are safe to use for occasional nausea. But if it continues for a prolonged amount of time, then it’s important to speak to your doctor about what you’re feeling.

As far as the mental contribution to your feeling of nausea, deep breathing exercises work wonders. Additionally, exercising is very helpful in ridding yourself of unnecessary anxiety. Endorphins are released when you exercise which also elevates your mood and regulates your hormones.