Psychosomatics of diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is loose stool that comes more often than usual. Most often it is a gut infection and it passes in a few days, the main thing is to drink enough fluids. If it keeps coming back or goes on for weeks, a doctor looks for the cause. The Ladder method adds questions about what you want to "get rid of", and it does not replace a doctor.
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When to see a doctor
A GP or gastroenterologist looks for the cause of long diarrhoea: they order blood and stool tests and, if needed, a gut examination. MedlinePlus advises seeing a doctor if diarrhoea lasts longer than 2 days in an adult or keeps coming back. Treatment depends on the cause, so treating yourself with anti-diarrhoea medicine without a diagnosis is not suitable.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method diarrhoea is not explained as "you are a coward" or "you are weak". You are not to blame. Most often it is an infection or a gut condition, and a doctor and tests come first. Questions to yourself belong alongside them, not instead of them.
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In the method the gut fits the image of "release": what you want to get rid of quickly and what you cannot hold. It is an image, not the cause, and it does not replace treatment.
On the ladder this shows up as the steps "I am afraid before something important" and "I cannot hold on to control". You can work through them at your own pace alongside check-ups.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
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How it shows up
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- Loose stool more often than usual
- Stomach cramps
- Urgent need for the toilet
- Feeling sick
- Weakness
- Thirst and dark pee when dehydrated
What medicine knows
The NHS says diarrhoea, with or without vomiting, is often caused by a stomach bug, and in adults it usually stops within 5 to 7 days. The most important thing is to drink lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
MedlinePlus names other causes too: intolerance to lactose and other foods, medicines, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease. Anxiety and excitement can really speed up the gut and make you rush to the toilet, but stress does not replace looking for the cause if diarrhoea keeps coming back.
Signs of dehydration according to the NHS: dark, smelly pee, peeing less than usual, strong thirst, weakness, dizziness. Older people, children and those with a weak immune system need to be especially careful.
What helps according to the NHS: rest, small sips of water and oral rehydration drinks, eating when you can, avoiding fatty and spicy food, no fruit juice or fizzy drinks. A pharmacist can suggest rehydration powder or loperamide for a few hours. Wash your hands often so you do not pass it on.
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Frequently asked questions
Can diarrhoea be from nerves?
Excitement can speed up the gut and cause loose stool, but if diarrhoea keeps coming back or lasts long, the cause should be looked for by a doctor: an infection, food intolerance or a gut condition (NHS, MedlinePlus).
What does diarrhoea mean in psychosomatics?
There is no proven "meaning". In the Ladder method diarrhoea becomes a reason to ask yourself what you want to get rid of and what you cannot hold. It is a question to yourself, not a diagnosis.
How long does diarrhoea last and when should I see a doctor?
In adults usually 5 to 7 days (NHS). See a doctor if the stool has blood or is black, diarrhoea lasts more than 7 days, you are dehydrated or you cannot keep fluids down.
Related topics
Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.