# Chronic Constipation and Depression



## trapped inside (Dec 14, 2012)

So recently I've had chronic constipation -- the inability to pass more than 3 BM's per week. I'm also severely depressed which means I haven't been exercising, drinking enough water, and have been sleeping too much (12-16 hours per night).

I have moderate abdominal pain, cramping, and bloating that seems to come and go throughout the day. At some times, it's debilitating; at others, I'm able to manage it and keep moving forward.

Has anyone else noticed a correlation between their mood (i.e. depression) and the symptoms of IBS? When I was feeling better, the symptoms were still there, but not as debilitating or noticeable.

I've read that constipation can actually cause -- or worse yet, worsen -- depression. However, I feel my depression may be causing this severe bout of constipation. Who knows. Has anyone had experience with this?

Also, any tips on relieving constipation? I've tried every OTC laxative and stool softener (etc.), and none seem to work or speed up/produce regular bowel movements.

Any advice, experience, strength, or hope is appreciated.

Thank you!


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## Amanda Nicole (Jul 14, 2013)

Many people with IBS (or other conditions affecting the gut) often experience some level of depression or other mood-related conditions/symptoms (and possibly non-mood-related symptoms as well). The reason for this is because the gut is involved in many different processes that are necessary for the body to function properly. In addition to being the place where nutrients are absorbed, the gut contains between 60-80% of the immune system and the gut also happens to have the largest concentration of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood control, depression, aggression, etc. When the gut isn't functioning properly, serotonin levels become compromised, which can then lead to depression. Meds typically do very little to improve symptoms because if the gut isn't healed, the rest of the body can't heal. This is why it's so important to try and find the root cause of gut problems instead of just using meds to mask the symptoms. One of the things that often causes/contributes to gut issues is food sensitivities - once food/chemical "triggers" are identified and removed, the gut can begin to heal, leading to improved symptoms and overall health.


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## Reed (Jul 13, 2013)

It is absolutely connected. For some people it's depression. For others it's anxiety.

It goes beyond the basics - stress makes you tense, tension causes muscle tightness, muscle tightness can lead to cramping and IBS and IBS can lead to anxiety attacks or depression which makes you more stressed - and the knot just keeps tightening.

You have a lot of the same cells in your gut that you have in your brain. It's called the Enteric Nervous System. And it's so complex doctors don't really understand it all yet.

You can learn more here: http://ibs.about.com/od/symptomsofib1/a/braingut.htm

The good news is that it works both ways - while IBS & anxiety/depression can make each other worse, when you start to heal one or the other, both improve.

There is some evidence that anti-depressants can help with IBS but I prefer to use other alternatives. BrainSync has some good meditations that can help. Even a tiny bit of exercise can help - just moving a little bit doing something you don't mind - can help. Stretching, walking, 5 minutes of a yoga tape. Sticking to the lighter side of things when you can - watching comedies, finding little things you can enjoy doing, etc. can also help improve IBS.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can also help to identify thought patterns that drag you down and help you to create different ways of thinking that can be beneficial.


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