Coping with Anxiety and Stress Causing Stomach Issues: Advice Needed

Anxiety and stress can manifest physically, so it's understandable that you're experiencing stomach issues. There are a number of coping mechanisms that address both the mental and physical aspects of anxiety: Mindfulness, grounding, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, journaling, but also having a daily routine and good sleep hygiene. If you would like to contact me, please check my profile.

When we feel anxious or stressed, it’s really common for the mind to get stuck in loops of worry or self-criticism. And because mind and body are so closely connected, those loops often show up physically too — things like stomach tension, racing heart, or feeling on edge. It’s not your fault; it’s just your body trying to protect you, even if it doesn’t always feel very helpful.

One gentle step is to practise meeting yourself with compassion. That might mean pausing, taking a slower breath, or even placing a hand on your stomach and saying something kind to yourself like, “I know this is hard, and I’m here with you.” These small act...s of kindness help calm the body and give the mind a way out of the loop.

It can also help to think holistically — looking after your body with rest, movement, and nourishing food, giving your mind moments of calm or grounding, and reaching out for connection with people who support you. Over time, these compassionate choices can soften the stress cycle and help you feel steadier and more at ease.


Here’s a short, gentle script you (or someone else) could use in the moment when anxiety starts to build:

Compassion Pause for Anxiety
1. Notice: “Okay, I can feel the anxiety here — in my stomach / chest / body. This is my system trying to protect me.”
2. Soften the body: Place a hand gently where you feel it most (often the stomach or chest). Take one slower, deeper breath.
3. Soothing words: Silently say to yourself:
• “This is tough right now.”
• “I’m safe in this moment.”
• “I’m here with myself, with kindness.”
4. Reconnect: Let your breath settle into a steady rhythm. If it helps, picture a safe place, or imagine a caring friend’s voice reminding you that you’re not alone.

This whole practice can take less than a minute, and with repetition it helps the body calm down and the mind step out of the loop. Voir plus

For that, behavioral therapy will definitely help

It sounds like your anxiety and stress are reaching a level where they’re affecting both your mind and body. That can feel overwhelming, but there are ways to regain a sense of control. Here’s a structured approach:

1. Grounding and Breathwork

When anxiety becomes intense, the body often reacts before the mind can catch up. Techniques like deep, slow breathing or grounding exercises can help your nervous system settle:

Try inhaling for 4 counts, holding for 4, exhaling for 6. Repeat several times.

Focus on your senses: notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you ...can smell, 1 thing you can taste.

2. Body Awareness

Since you notice physical symptoms like stomach issues, start tracking bodily sensations alongside your anxiety. Journaling where and when these sensations occur can help you detect triggers and patterns.

3. Routine and Movement

Physical activity—even gentle movement like walking, stretching, or yoga—can regulate both stress hormones and digestion. Consistent sleep and meals are equally important.

4. Cognitive Tools

Identify specific thoughts that trigger anxiety, and gently challenge them: “Is this thought true? Is it helpful? What evidence do I have?”

Break problems into small, manageable steps rather than letting your mind spiral to everything at once.

5. Mindfulness & Acceptance

Mindfulness practice—simply noticing thoughts and bodily sensations without judgment—can reduce the “fight or flight” response. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles can be helpful: noticing anxiety without trying to push it away often reduces its intensity.

6. Professional Support

Because anxiety is already affecting your body physically, consulting a therapist, counselor, or physician can help. They can offer tailored strategies and rule out any medical issues related to your stomach symptoms.

I also provide some free yoga sessions that can help with these symptoms on my channel 'ainuinfo' via Youtube.

For more info and bookings visit: ainuinfo.com Voir plus

Do you know the causes of your stress and anxiety ? Physical symptoms are warning signs that must be taken seriously. Maybe the first step could be an appointment with your doctor. For the second step, I could help you with your anxiety with exercises for your body and your mind.

There are different possibilities to help with anxiety. One of them is called TCC which stands for Cognitive and Comportemental Therapy.
You could also go see a psychiatrist. He will be able to tell if you need medication.
There are also numerous kind of things you could do like breathing exercises, soft sports, etc.
There is also the walk therapy (which I propose). It's when you go see a psychologist but instead of sitting, you are walking outside. This is also great to calm anxiety.

With anxiety, there's a lot of focus on the reasy why. That is really important, but I also advise patients to look at their lifestyle. As you say, everything is connected. Food, movement. Especially if you are having stomach issues, it is very important to look at diet. I am trained in nutrition as well as psychology if you are interested. I follow the GAPS method (GAPS Nutritional Protocol). I recommend Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride's books.

There are several techniques that could help with the anxiety and stress including mindfulness (example The focus on senses technique, also known as the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise for moments of overwhelm ) meditation, breathing exercises etc. However, it is important to consult with a psychologist to have someone you can talk to. In addition, the body holds a lot of the anxiety and stress we feel, it is important to find ways that work for you to get that out of your body. Some people enjoy sportsmassages or acupuncture or Spa day to connect with the body, other prefer movements like dancing or playing some music instruments like djembe. T...he body and brain both need some care, you just need to find what works for you. Voir plus

There's no quick and easy fix for anything unfortunately. When stress and anxiety pile up to the point where the body reacts, stomach pain, tension, fatigue, it’s your mind telling you it can’t keep everything inside anymore. To better regulate emotions, we first need introspection: asking what’s fueling the anxiety, why it hits with that intensity, and whether some stressors can be reduced or handled differently.

Anxiety itself isn’t “bad” or unhealthy, it’s a normal emotion that every one of us will feel many times in life. The issue is when it overwhelms our resources. And often, we don’t fully know what those resources are, o...r how to strengthen them. Many people turn to addictions as a substitute for coping, but those are destructive. Functional ones can be very broad: Family, friends, kids, pets, nature, music, writing, movies, sports, reading, religion, or even Silence. What matters is finding the ones that actually work for you.

The physical symptoms (Palpitations, Stomach Aches, Tight Chest or Throat) are simply anxiety trying to exit through the body. The more you understand this connection, the less frightening the symptoms feel. Ideally, you experiment and discover the coping strategies that adapt best to your own rhythm and personality.

And a major one, the reason psychologists exist, is exposure. The fears inside our head often feel huge and monstrous. When you bring them out into the light they lose part of their power. They become things you can face, not shadows ruling you.

Take care! Voir plus

Hello, learning how to cope with your emotions in a functional way is a journey, it requires time and putting into practice the recommendations given by professionals. I suggest you to start psychological therapy with a certified clinical psychologist who can provide you with tools to better cope with your emotions and thoughts, and follow you up during this process.