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Can't Stop Pooping? You Might Have A Case Of Stress Diarrhea (Which Can Totally Be Solved, BTW)

There's no other way to say it—life is stressful. On any given day, you could be worried about chipping away at that massive to-do list, freaking out about finding a new apartment, or ruminating on that fight you had with your partner the other day that's definitely not resolved. In the midst of all this stressing...Your stomach starts to rumble. And next thing you know, you're running to the bathroom.

But wait, can stress cause diarrhea? Sure can. It's zero percent fun, but 100 percent definitely a thing. Our brains and stomachs are very closely connected through a series of nerves (aka the gut-brain connection), meaning when we're stressed or anxious, our brain can send signals that change the movement of our bowels.

Experts In This Article

Kiki Fehling, PhD, licensed psychologist in Boston, Massachusetts

Roshini Raj, MD, board-certified gastroenterologist, associate professor of medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, author of Gut Renovation, and co-founder of YayDay digestive supplements

While it isn't a huge deal if it happens once in a while, stress diarrhea that lingers is worth getting to the bottom of. Here's why you're getting the nervous poops and what you can do to get rid of them.

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Why can stress cause diarrhea?

Being stressed or anxious can trigger some unpleasant gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including diarrhea. In fact, one study in Medicine1 found around a quarter of people with anxiety had chronic loose stools.

Here's why: Your GI and central nervous systems are directly connected via a pathway called the gut-brain axis and are "constantly in a two-way conversation," says Roshini Raj, MD, a gastroenterologist and founder of YayDay.

When the tension starts to run high, your brain releases neurotransmitters to activate your body's fight-or-flight response, which helps you escape threatening situations. Once these alarm bells start going off, "there is a chain of physiological events that affects your entire body. Your gut is one of the systems affected," explains Kiki Fehling, PhD, a clinical psychologist from Boston, Massachusetts. The result? Butterflies in your stomach or some queasiness, or even diarrhea or vomiting.

Risk factors for stress-related diarrhea

Anyone can get an occasional case of loose stools or diarrhea from stress. But you'll likely be more prone to stress poops if you also have an underlying GI condition like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). "People who have IBS often have a heightened sensitivity to stress and find that their digestive symptoms worsen when anxious," says Dr. Raj.

In fact, negative emotions like anxiety or depression may actually trigger or worsen gut inflammation that exacerbates stress IBS symptoms—diarrhea included, suggests July 2013 research in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine2.

Other physical symptoms caused by stress

Sky-high stress can obviously make you feel lousy in all kinds of ways that go way beyond your stomach. Here are some other symptoms you might be feeling, thanks to your body's stress response, per the National Library of Medicine (NLM):

Racing or pounding heart

Shortness of breath

Chest pain or pressure

Dizziness or lightheadedness

Sweating

Chills

Nausea

Shaking or trembling

Tingling or numbness in your arms or legs

Weakness

Tense or rigid muscles

Dry mouth

Other signs of stress could be cognitive, too, including anxious or racing thoughts, low self-esteem, and more.

How long does stress diarrhea last?

There's no official timeline here, but the occasional bout of anxiety-induced diarrhea shouldn't go on for too long.

"Although chronic stress can cause chronic diarrhea, if your diarrhea is new or lasts for more than a few days, it's good to be checked out for other causes," says Dr. Raj.

It could be an underlying food intolerance/sensitivity or another GI issue that's actually messing with your stomach, for instance.

If another GI issue is to blame, you may have other digestive symptoms, too, like bloating, gas, or abdominal pain. If this is the case, talk to your doctor, who can run tests to determine the underlying cause.

How to stop stress diarrhea

Managing stress-induced diarrhea mostly comes down to managing stress itself. (More on that in a few.) That said, if you're feeling keyed up in the moment and your stomach is starting to rumble, here are a few relaxation techniques and remedies to stop nervous poops in their tracks:

Progressive muscle relaxation: This stress-relieving exercise involves tensing and releasing the muscles throughout your body. "It helps deactivate your parasympathetic nervous system (aka, your stress response) and activate your parasympathetic nervous system (aka, your relaxation response)," says Dr. Fehling. Here's a quick video where she walks you through how to do it.

Paced breathing: Like progressive muscle relaxation, taking slow, deep breaths can help calm your body's stress response and soothe those physical anxiety symptoms, per a January 2023 review in Nature3. Walk through Dr. Fehling's favorite deep-breathing exercise here.

OTC anti-diarrheal medicine: Taking medications like loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) can also help if you need to stop diarrhea fast and stress-management techniques alone aren't cutting it.

Watch what you eat and drink: Stick to bland, low-fiber foods (like toast, crackers, or bananas) until your symptoms ease up. Try to avoid anything that will make your diarrhea worse, like fried or greasy foods, high-fiber foods like beans or broccoli, and alcohol or caffeine, per the NLM.

How to prevent stress-related diarrhea

Prevention all comes down to managing your psychological stress, (i.E., whatever's getting you worked up). "To prevent stress-induced diarrhea, you want to prevent stress," says Dr. Fehling.

There are plenty of ways to do that, so experiment to see what makes you feel good. Some solid stress-management options to try include the following:

Relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation: Both are proven stress busters, and have been shown to have a positive effect on IBS symptoms like diarrhea, according to an April 2015 study in PLOS One4. You could also try going for a walk or run (just watch out for those post-run poops).

Get enough sleep: Stressful situations (anything from a looming work deadline to being stuck on hold for a ridiculously long time) are always harder to deal with when you're exhausted, Dr. Fehling points out.

Try a Mediterranean-style diet: This eating pattern is linked to lower rates of depression and has been shown to have a positive effect on gut health, according to an August 2019 review in Current Opinions in Behavioral Sciences5. Try to add things like whole grains, loads of fruits and veggies, beans, nuts and seeds, healthy fats, and some seafood to your weekly meals.

Talk with a therapist: If your stress and anxiety is seriously disrupting your life, talking it out with a mental health professional can be helpful. They can also teach you coping strategies that can help you relax your body and mind. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in particular—where you replace negative thinking patterns with ones that are more rational or realistic—is the gold standard for managing anxiety, per Harvard Health Publishing.

When to see a doctor

Unfortunately, stress affects gut health in a number of ways. While a sense of urgency to poop from time to time is okay, diarrhea that's worsening, persistent, or comes with abdominal pain should be brought up to your doctor.

"If you find it happening so often that it's affecting your quality of life, it could hint at a larger digestive issue," says Dr. Raj. It could also be a sign that your stress or anxiety levels are too high and you need help managing them. And either way, your doctor can run tests (like stool samples, bloodwork, CT scans, or a colonoscopy) to help you figure out the underlying cause of persistent diarrhea, and treat it properly.

FAQ How do I know if my diarrhea is from stress?

It's hard to say for sure, because diarrhea can be caused by many things (think: a stomach bug, food poisoning, certain medications, a food sensitivity or intolerance, IBS, or inflammatory bowel disease, just to name a few). That said, if your poop problem tends to happen during tense moments when you're also feeling other physical symptoms of anxiety (like shaking, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations), that's a sign your diarrhea could be related to your stress levels.

Can stress lead to constipation?

Yep, it can. While stress gives some people diarrhea, "stress hormones can also cause the digestive system to go into a state of shock. So some people become very constipated when they are stressed," says Dr. Raj. If this is the case for you, try things like drinking tea, going for a walk, or eating foods with more fiber, along with managing your stress levels.

Can stress cause colon problems?

There isn't much evidence that connects stress to severe colon problems like colon cancer. But that doesn't mean that over time, things like anxiety, chronic stress, or depression don't have some kind of effect on your gut. In fact, according to the Current Opinions in Behavioral Sciences review noted above, stress can trigger increased inflammation in the gut and change the composition of your gut microbiome, which, over time, could have an effect on your colon health.

If you're concerned about your colon health, talk to your doctor. They can schedule certain tests to rule out things like colon cancer.

—reviewed by Jennifer Logan, MD, MPH

Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.

Kim JY, Lim MH. Psychological factors to predict chronic diarrhea and constipation in Korean high school students. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Jul 9;100(27):e26442. Doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000026442. PMID: 34232176; PMCID: PMC8270581.

Gao J. Correlation between anxiety-depression status and cytokines in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Exp Ther Med. 2013 Jul;6(1):93-96. Doi: 10.3892/etm.2013.1101. Epub 2013 May 8. PMID: 23935726; PMCID: PMC3735566.

Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Sci Rep. 2023 Jan 9;13(1):432. Doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y. PMID: 36624160; PMCID: PMC9828383.

Kuo B, Bhasin M, Jacquart J, Scult MA, Slipp L, Riklin EI, Lepoutre V, Comosa N, Norton BA, Dassatti A, Rosenblum J, Thurler AH, Surjanhata BC, Hasheminejad NN, Kagan L, Slawsby E, Rao SR, Macklin EA, Fricchione GL, Benson H, Libermann TA, Korzenik J, Denninger JW. Genomic and clinical effects associated with a relaxation response mind-body intervention in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 30;10(4):e0123861. Doi: 10.1371/journal.Pone.0123861. Erratum in: PLoS One. 2017 Feb 21;12 (2):e0172872. PMID: 25927528; PMCID: PMC4415769.

Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019 Aug;28:105-110. Doi: 10.1016/j.Cobeha.2019.01.011. Epub 2019 Mar 25. PMID: 32395568; PMCID: PMC7213601.

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The 9 Best Home Remedies For Diarrhea (for When You Just Can't. Stop. Pooping.)

Let's face it: Diarrhea straight up stinks (pun intended). That "uh-oh" urgency to run to the bathroom, especially multiple times per day, can get pretty annoying (and even painful at times). Thankfully, there are lots of different home remedies for diarrhea that you can implement ASAP to get relief.

"Acute diarrhea can be due to many root causes, from lactose intolerance, to an infection, or even food poisoning," says Elena Ivanina, DO, MPH, a gastroenterologist and founder of the Center for Integrative Gut Health in New York City. While it's important to get to the bottom of your diarrhea (especially if it's more than a one-off event like a stomach bug), your primary focus at the moment is probably just curbing the flow of liquid stool so you can feel...A little less like death.

And with that, here are some at-home remedies to stop diarrhea, plus when to see the doctor if you just can't stop pooping.

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1. Eat easy-to-digest foods

Not everyone has an appetite when they have diarrhea. But if you're up for it, eating soft and bland foods is usually your best bet. This could be things like the following, per the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD):

Toast

White rice

Bananas

Applesauce

Plain white pasta

Yogurt

Eggs

"These foods are mild and easy to digest, making them great choices for calming the intestines," says Danielle VenHuizen, RD, a Seattle, Washington-based dietitian specializing in gut health.

You can also try eating more foods with soluble fiber. Unlike other types (i.E., insoluble fiber), it has "the ability to absorb water and bulk up stool, which slows transit time [through the gut]," says VenHuizen. "I like to think of it as the soft, soothing type of fiber."

Some foods high in soluble fiber include the following, per VenHuizen:

Oats

Peas

Peeled apples

Peeled pears

Barley

2. Limit trigger foods

When you have a bout of diarrhea, you're going to want to steer clear of anything that will further irritate your gut (i.E., cause a poop emergency). Some things that could trigger an upset stomach include the following, per the IFFGD:

Caffeine

Alcohol

Sugary juices

Artificial sweeteners

Fatty or fried foods

Sugary snacks

It may also be helpful to take a break from foods high in insoluble fiber. "Insoluble fiber is a "scratchy" fiber. It slightly irritates the lining of the intestines, which then increases intestinal contractions," says VenHuizen. "This can be a great strategy for constipation, but can make diarrhea worse." Some foods with insoluble fiber you'll want to avoid for a while include the following, per VenHuizen:

Whole wheat

Wheat bran

Quinoa

Brown rice

Legumes (i.E., beans)

Nuts

Seeds

Leafy greens

Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)

Fruits with the skin on

3. Hydrate

You lose a lot of fluids when you have diarrhea—thanks to all the liquid coming out in your poop. Unfortunately, this can lead to dehydration. To help keep your fluid levels up, you'll have to replace them by drinking more. "Some doctors say to have a cup of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement," adds Dr. Ivanina.

A good place to start is by drinking plain ol' water, but if the thought of that makes you queasy, you can try hot water with lemon, warm broth, or an herbal tea like peppermint, ginger, or fennel. (More on herbs in a few.)

Dr. Ivanina also recommends trying electrolyte-rich options like coconut water, or adding a powder like LMNT to your regular glass of H2O for an extra boost of nutrients.

4. Add pectin

Pectin is a type of soluble fiber found in many different fruits and vegetables that may also help curb diarrhea. If you're having a pretty extreme case, and your food choices aren't cutting it, you can get powdered pectin at the grocery store (it's usually near pudding mixes in the baking aisle).

Just mix 1 tablespoon of pectin with 1/4 cup of lemon water, and drink it 20 to 30 minutes before eating a meal or snack for best results, per the IFFGD.

5. Pop probiotics

Adding some good bacteria, particularly strains like Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces, to your GI tract might help reduce your diarrhea. This is especially true if your diarrhea is a side effect from taking antibiotics, according to an August 2022 paper in Healthcare. (Antibiotics can wipe both the bad and good bacteria from your gut, causing some mild digestive upset as a result.)

Probiotics can also help you regain equilibrium after a GI infection, too. "Infections cause inflammation of the gut lining and disturb your gut microbiome, so it's worth asking your doctor about taking probiotics and prebiotics after your illness has cleared, to support gut healing," says Dr. Ivanina.

6. Turn to herbs

While any herbal tea will help you stay hydrated, you've got a few options that may actively help make your diarrhea less awful, say Dr. Ivanina and VenHuizen. Not only that, but if your diarrhea is caused by stress, sipping on a steaming cup of tea could help you relax.

Some common herbal remedies for diarrhea include the following:

Peppermint: Peppermint essential oil "works by relaxing the intestines and reducing spasms, which slows down stool transit time. This may reduce cramping and discomfort associated with diarrhea," says VenHuizen. Sip peppermint tea or try peppermint oil capsules like IBGard.

Ginger: "It has potent antioxidant properties that can help slow and regulate intestinal movement," says VenHuizen. Again, ginger tea can do the trick, or try ginger chews like The Ginger People GinGins. You can also try mixing ginger with other spices to help gut health and inflammation, like turmeric.

Fennel: Fennel tea, which has long been used as a digestive aid, "can be great for cramps associated with diarrhea," says Dr. Ivanina.

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7. Consider an elimination diet

If you think your diarrhea might be caused by a food sensitivity or intolerance, a temporary elimination diet can help you tease out the offending food or ingredient, says VenHuizen. It's best to check in with your doctor first though, especially if you're considering cutting out multiple foods or food groups at the same time. Together, you can come up with a plan for how long you'll need to cut the foods out and when and how to reintroduce them.

TIP

Try keeping a food diary while cutting out certain foods, to help keep track of which ones trigger diarrhea.

When to choose home remedies vs. Medication

If none of the above helps stop your diarrhea, you can turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medicine as a last resort, says Dr. Ivanina. Things like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol could help slow down your bowels and reduce any painful cramping or discomfort.

That said, OTC meds won't actually treat the underlying cause of diarrhea. In fact, if your diarrhea is caused by an infection, taking Imodium could make things worse by trapping stool in your intestines for too long, says Dr. Ivanina.

Bottom line: It's fine to take Imodium or Pepto-Bismol occasionally if you just need to get through the day (i.E., you're at work or you're traveling). But if your diarrhea is persistent or comes with other symptoms like fever, chills, vomiting, or blood in your stool, you should hold off on the meds and get to your doctor first, to figure out and treat the underlying cause.

When to see the doctor

"The best way to deal with diarrhea really depends on what's causing it," says Dr. Ivanina. If it's caused by an infection or illness, for example, you may need to see a doctor for a course of antibiotics or other form of treatment. But if your diarrhea is from a chronic issue (like a food intolerance or underlying GI disorder), it may keep coming back until you address your condition.

If your diarrhea lasts for more than two days, reach out to your doctor. Persistent loose stools can put you at risk for dehydration, and could be a sign of a more serious GI issue that needs to be treated.

You should also get to the doctor if you have any of the following, per Johns Hopkins Medicine:

Symptoms of dehydration—like fatigue, dizziness, less urine, or dry mouth

Diarrhea with rectal bleeding

Black or tarry stools

FAQ Should you let diarrhea run its course?

Diarrhea caused by an infection should go away on its own within a day or two. You should make an effort drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, but other than that, you don't need to do anything to treat it, says Dr. Ivanina. If your diarrhea lasts longer than two days, get in to see the doctor, as it could be a sign of a bigger issue.

Why do I get diarrhea after drinking certain drinks?

If you're talking about caffeinated drinks or alcohol, it's a pretty common thing. Caffeine can have a laxative effect, especially in large quantities (think: more than two to three cups of coffee per day), notes the IFFGD. And as for booze? Alcohol irritates your GI tract to make you poop more, and over time, heavy drinking might throw your microbiome out of whack.

Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.

Kopacz K, Phadtare S. Probiotics for the Prevention of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Aug 2;10(8):1450. Doi: 10.3390/healthcare10081450. PMID: 36011108; PMCID: PMC9408191.

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The 5 Most Effective Diarrhea Remedies

A bout of diarrhea is never fun. Plenty of options, from anti-diarrheal medication to dietary changes that soothe your digestive system, can help you find relief.

We've all experienced bouts of diarrhea at some point in our lives. Common symptoms of diarrhea include frequent, watery stools, abdominal cramping, and bloating.

Diarrhea is often your body's way of dealing with disruptions in your gastrointestinal system. Acute diarrhea lasts less than 2 weeks and can come from many sources, such as:

a viral infection

a bacterial infection

a parasitic infection

food poisoning

recent antibiotic use

food or water contaminated with an infectious agent

Infectious diarrhea is common in young children and is often caused by a virus. Traveler's diarrhea can occur if you travel to underdeveloped areas with contaminated water. Bacteria from improperly stored or cooked food are typical causes of food poisoning.

Read on for some of the most effective ways to manage acute diarrhea.

Hydration is very important when you have diarrhea. Dehydration from diarrhea can be fatal in young children and older adults. Continue breastfeeding or formula feeding infants who are experiencing diarrhea.

Over-the-counter oral pediatric hydration solutions, like Pedialyte, are the recommended fluids of choice for children with diarrhea. Small amounts of hydration solutions should be given frequently. These formulas also come in popsicle preparations.

Studies have shown that for adults with mild symptoms of diarrhea, sports drinks and over-the-counter rehydration solutions are equally effective.

Alcohol, milk, soda, and other carbonated or caffeinated drinks should not be used for hydration, as they may make your symptoms worse.

Probiotics are sources of "good" bacteria that work in your intestinal tract to create a healthy gut environment. They're essentially live microorganisms that exist in certain foods, including:

aged soft cheeses

beet kvass

cottage cheese

dark chocolate

green olives

kefir

kimchi

kombucha

sauerkraut

miso

natto

pickles

sourdough bread

tempeh

yogurt

Probiotics also come in powder or pill form.

The good bacteria that live in your intestinal tract are necessary for the normal functioning of your gastrointestinal system. They play an important role in protecting your intestines against infection.

When your system is changed by antibiotics or overwhelmed by unhealthy bacteria or viruses, you can get diarrhea. Probiotics can help with diarrhea by restoring the balance of bacteria in your gut.

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast probiotic. While it's not a bacterium, it acts like one.

S. Boulardii may improve antibiotic-associated diarrhea. It also seems to provide relief for traveler's diarrhea. Studies suggest it may help your intestines fight off unwanted pathogens and ensure they're absorbing nutrients properly.

Because it is yeast, it should be used with caution in people with inadequate immune systems.

It's important to receive proper medical care in cases of acute diarrhea. Talk with your health care provider before taking probiotic supplements to treat your diarrhea.

With your doctor's supervision, several over-the-counter medications can help with acute diarrhea if your symptoms are not severe. Common over-the-counter medications include bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate) and loperamide (Imodium).

While these drugs can relieve the symptoms of diarrhea, they don't treat the underlying cause.

If you have chronic diarrhea, you shouldn't use these drugs without your doctor's consent. Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that lasts more than 14 days. It often has different causes.

You should be especially cautious if your child has diarrhea. Dehydration resulting from diarrhea can be dangerous and can occur quickly in young children. Severe dehydration can be life-threatening.

Over-the-counter medications are not recommended for treatment in children, so it's important to talk to your doctor. Infants under 3 months old who have diarrhea should be taken to the doctor right away.

If you have bloody diarrhea, a fever, more than seven days of symptoms, intense abdominal pain, or diarrhea that is getting worse, you should seek medical attention.

While it might sound counterintuitive to eat if you have diarrhea, eating certain foods can help alleviate your diarrhea symptoms and ensure your health doesn't worsen from not eating. Stick to low-fiber "BRAT" foods that will help firm up your stool. These include:

bananas

rice (white)

applesauce

toast

Other foods that are usually well-tolerated when experiencing diarrhea include:

oatmeal

boiled or baked potatoes (with skins peeled)

baked chicken with skin removed

chicken soup (which also aids in rehydration)

Fried and greasy foods are usually not well-tolerated in people who have diarrhea. You should also consider limiting high-fiber foods like bran as well as fruits and vegetables that can increase bloating. Foods to avoid include:

alcohol

artificial sweeteners (found in chewing gum, diet soft drinks and sugar substitutes)

beans

berries

broccoli

cabbage

cauliflower

chickpeas

coffee

corn

ice cream

green leafy vegetables

milk

peas

peppers

prunes

tea

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends contacting a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms:

diarrhea lasting more than 2 days

fever of 102 degrees Farenheit or higher

frequent vomiting

six or more loose stools in 24 hours

severe pain in your abdomen or rectum

Black, tarry, bloody, or pus-filled stools

symptoms of dehydration

If a child's diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours or if they have any of the above symptoms, they should also be given immediate medical attention.

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